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Issue Archive
CFTE Update
September 13, 2006 - Vol. 4, No. 11
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In this issue …
• Public Transportation Ridership Continues to Increase
• November Ballot Box Update
• TRB Convenes Conference on Future of MPOs
• New Report Details State Funding for Public Transportation
• President Bush Call on Former Federal Highway Administrator
Public Transportation Ridership Continues to Increase
TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY REPORT GAINS
The American Public Transportation Association reported public
transportation ridership in the United States grew by 4.25% in the
first quarter of 2006. The strong growth in the first quarter comes
on the heels of solid gains in 2005. Many observers attribute the
strong growth in the use of public transportation to high fuel costs
and on-going frustration with congestion on roadways.
A sampling of recent reports from transit agencies across the country
highlights this trend:
• The Coaster set a ridership record last month, with 161,067
passengers boarding the commuter train, the most in its 11-year
history.
• The New Mexico Park and Ride service recorded 290,000 riders
in fiscal year 2006, a 23 percent increase over last year's 230,248
and a 70 percent increase from FY 2004's 170,403 riders. Park and
Ride is a daily express bus service that includes routes between
Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Los Alamos, and Santa Fe and Las Vegas
(N.M.).
• New York’s MTA released data in August showing that
during the past 10 years, the growth in mass transit ridership has
outpaced population growth. The ridership peaked last spring with
an average 4.9 million people passing through the turnstiles a day.
• In Louisville, KY the Transit Authority of River City (TARC)
is reporting forecasting 800,000 more riders this fiscal year than
last year, when 15.8 million people hitched a ride during the 12-month
period.
CFTE has launched a new "transit
myth and fact" series. The initial issue is focused on ridership.
November Ballot Box Update
TRANSPORTATION A HOT ISSUE FOR THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS
As we head into the November elections, the number of transportation
related ballot measures appearing on ballots continues to rise.
Already this year voters have considered 20 different transportation
ballot measures. CFTE is current tracking over 25 measures appearing
on ballots this November including these recent additions:
• Kansas City, MO - The proposed starter light-rail spine
would begin at the zoo and go to the airport.
• Corinth City, TX – voter will decide if the city should
join the Denton County Transportation Authority
• Bay Area, CA - Proposition 1A, known as Transportation Funding
Protection, would close the loophole that allows state legislators
to divert revenue from the gasoline sales tax to other state needs.
• Bay Area, CA - Proposition 1C would approve a $2.8 billion
bond to fund development near transit and affordable housing projects.
• Holland, MI - Voters in Holland and Holland Township will
be asked approve a tax to expand Macatawa Area Express bus service.
If approved the 0.4 mills is projected to raise $973,000 annually
for five years.
• Franklin County, OH - The Central Ohio Transit Authority's
board has approved putting a 10-year, quarter-percent sales and
use tax levy on the Franklin County ballot.
• King County, WA - The King County Commission has approved
a new sales tax measure for the November ballot. The .1 cent increase
would fund bus service. The levy would raise an estimated $50 million
annually for transit.
View the entire list of ballot
measures
TRB Convenes Conference on Future of MPOs
ATTENDEES FOCUS ON FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION FINANCE
In late August, the Transportation Research Board hosted a conference
to consider the present and future of Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
Among the many topics considered was the future of transportation
finance. Participants expressed concerns about shrinking resources
and increasing demand for system preservation, operation improvements
and expansion. MPO and transportation leaders discussed the increasing
use of non-traditional project funding and its implications for
MPOs and transportation planning. CFTE presented findings from their
most recent report “Transportation Finance at the Ballot Box:
Voters Support Increased Investment,” which outlines the striking
rise in the use of voter-approved ballot measures to generate funding
for transportation choices. The report found that transportation
ballot measures are increasingly used by state and local governments
to fund projects and have had striking success with voters. Seventy
percent of these measures have been approved since 2000.
Read the full report.
New Report Details State Funding for Public Transportation
STATES OUTPACE FEDS IN TRANSIT FUNDING IN 2005
The latest Survey of State Funding for Public Transportation was
released this summer. The survey analyzes public transportation
funding for every state. Among the report’s findings is that
states provided $9.5 billion for transit in FY05 compared to $7.3
billion in federal spending. State spending has more than doubled
since 1990. The most utilized source of state funding for transit
continues to be the general fund. Fifteen states allow state gas
taxes to support public transportation. Roughly half of all state
funding was designated for transit operations while about one-fifth
was for capital purposes only. The number of states not providing
transit funding has decreased to four (AL, CO, HI, UT). Colorado
has now passed legislation to allow public transportation funding.
Download the report.
President Bush Call on Former Federal Highway Administrator
MARY PETERS NOMINATED TO HEAD U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Last week Mary Peters was nominated by President George Bush to
replace Norman Mineta as the secretary of transportation. Peters
served from 2001 to 2005 as federal highway administrator. As highway
administrator, Peters favored expanding the authority of states
to toll motorists and supported a greater role of private-sector
investment in highway construction. She also opposed raising the
federal gasoline tax, which accounts for much of the government's
contribution to state highway construction projects. Peters is currently
a vice president at HDR, Inc. an engineering firm.
As transportation secretary, she will also have to address the politically
difficult problems such as creating new funding sources for transportation
systems
Read more tranpsortation
news.
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