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Even as the presidential candidates were duking it out on the national stage, a number of public transit systems around the country were busy scoring wins of their own.
On Nov. 6, voters around the U.S. approved 14 of 20 transit ballot questions. For the year, voters passed 47 of 59 public transit ballot measures, a success rate of 80 percent.
Election Day saw public transportation victories in Orange County, NC; Richland County, SC; Virginia Beach, VA; Arlington, VA; Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon, MI; and Toledo, OH.
Voters in the California counties of Alameda and Los Angeles approved their ballot measures by 66 and 65 percent respectively: enough for a landslide victory everywhere else, but just a hair shy under California’s supermajority rules that require two-thirds of the vote for a tax measure to pass.
While 2012 did not have the multi-billion-dollar initiatives that occur from time to time, the results show strong support for public transit in communities large and small, north, south, east, and west.
This year’s ballot victories are a continuation of a decade-long trend. Since APTA and the Center for Transportation Excellence began tracking public transit ballot measures in the year 2000, the success rate overall has been over 72 percent with especially strong votes in recent years.
“Despite concerns about the economy, voters throughout the country at a rate of nearly 70 percent voted on Nov. 6 to pass pro-public transportation ballot initiatives,” said APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy.
“This successful trend of passing transit measures demonstrates that public transportation is a vital and essential service that people want and need. Even with economic concerns still on everyone’s minds, voters decided to pass taxes, create bonding, or take other actions to improve or maintain public transportation,” he added.
The Biggest Winning Initiatives
Voters in Orange County, NC, approved a half-cent sales tax for local and regional public transit. This follows last year’s successful half-cent sales tax measure for improved public transportation in Durham County, NC, by creating larger, regional public transit services in the Research Triangle area of the state, which includes Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.
Projects to be funded by this tax will include a light rail connection from the University of North Carolina to Duke University and downtown Durham; and new and improved local and regional bus service, and an Amtrak intercity rail station. The measure, which passed by 59-41 percent, will bring in $5 million a year.
In Richland County, SC, voters passed a 1-cent sales tax increase to support expansion of bus service at the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority. The measure passed by a 53-47 percent margin.
The tax will also support major road improvements, bike lanes, greenways, and a $63 million railroad location project. The initiative provides $1.07 billion over a 22-year period. The money will be raised in charges for most purchases, including groceries. Collection begins on May 1, 2013.
County officials say that if the measure reaches the $1 billion level before 22 years have passed, they will stop collecting the tax.
In Arlington County, VA, 80 percent of voters passed a bond for nearly $32 million that will support a number of public transit projects, including capital projects for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
The largest share of the bond—$14 million—will pay the county’s share of WMATA capital improvements, including a program to improve regional mobility and accessibility and relieve traffic congestion. This proposal also provides matching funds for certain transportation projects that receive state and federal funding.
Not all successful public transit-related initiatives involved raising new funds: three ballot measures that would have eliminated service in their municipalities all were defeated.
By a rate of 70 percent, voters in Falmouth, ME, opposed ending METRO services after Dec. 31, 2013. Fifty-nine percent of voters in Spencer Township, OH, voted against withdrawing from the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority. In Walker, MI, 73 percent of voters defeated a measure that would have discontinued service by the Interurban Transit Partnership.
Two additional public transit measures will be decided in Los Angeles, CA, and Kansas City, MO, next month.
The Bigger Picture: Some State Proposals
Voters in Alaska approved Proposition A by a 57-43 percent margin. The vote authorizes a $454.5 million general obligation bond issue for a range of transportation, highway, and other projects.
Arkansas’ new half-cent sales tax provides additional funding for surface transportation, state highways, county roads, city streets, and bridges. Issue 1 was approved by 58 percent of the state’s voters.
And in Maine, Question 4, a $51.5 million transportation bond issue, garnered 72 percent of voter support.
More Approved Initiatives
Voters in Virginia Beach, VA, approved a measure granting the city council the latitude to study whether to bring light rail to the city. The margin was 62 percent in favor and 38 percent opposed.
William Harrell, president and chief executive CEO of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), said that although no money was attached to the referendum, its significance can’t be overstated. He credited the success of The Tide, HRT’s light rail system in Norfolk, for the renewed interest in light rail for Virginia Beach.
“The referendum suggests that the city further study the issue—the financial feasibility,” he said. “What it means for us is that the performance of The Tide has spoken loudly that public transportation can be safe, affordable, and reliable. People are beginning to buy into the value of this type of transportation and are more interested in considering this as an option.”
Harrell said HRT is working with FTA and other entities to produce data and information for a possible new light rail line, as well as alternatives analysis. Questions to be answered include which mode—bus, rapid transit, light rail, or an enhanced bus system—would be best for the corridor, along with ridership projections, cost, and the location of stations.
The Tide recently marked its two millionth boarding, Harrell said: “It’s very popular. Every time we have special events, easily, the first question is when it’s going to be extended.”
He added that ridership levels have shattered all expectations: FTA projected daily ridership of 2,900, but the system transports more than 5,500 riders a day.
Harrell said the city of Norfolk has asked HRT to study the possibility of extending service to the Norfolk Naval Station, the largest in the world and home port of the Atlantic Fleet.
“It’s still very early in the process, but we’ll be seeing what’s possible and where we could extend. This speaks to the region’s confidence in light rail,” he said.
In Kalamazoo, MI, Metro Transit Director Bill Schomisch said he was elated that voters approved renewal of a 0.6-mill property tax that will support the agency’s operations from 2013- 2015.
“It is expected to generate about $1,024,425 annually,” Schomisch said. “The levy was first approved in 1986 and has been successfully renewed each time it has gone back on the ballot. I’m very pleased with the support of community, very pleased.”
He said the system operates 36 fixed route buses along with paratransit services for customers with disabilities and a countywide demand-response system. The Nov. 6 ballot initiative was the first of two millage requests designed to finance public transit operations. |
