Public transportation efforts require support at all levels of government: local, state, and federal. Representatives of state and local governments described the challenges of supporting public transit projects at a session during the APTA Legislative Conference.

Robert Bauman, an alderman with the Milwaukee Common Council, spoke about the Wisconsin government’s opposition to public transit. For example, he said the state rejected a federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant for high-speed rail. In contrast, he said, the Milwaukee County Transit System is working with the city to introduce streetcar service.

William Euille, mayor of Alexandria, VA, described how the city—served both by the Alexandria Transit Company and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority—is preparing to implement the first of three high-capacity transit corridors, a Bus Rapid Transit line that will operate in dedicated lanes in Northern Virginia. The new BRT is “not just for getting people out of their cars; it’s also for driving economic development,” he said.

Arizona state Sen. Steve Farley, who works as a public artist, noted that “the Arizona legislature hasn’t been too helpful” as far as supporting public transit. Individual communities in the state have moved forward to implement new public transit systems by raising local revenue and securing federal funds for their projects.

Montgomery County (MD) Councilmember Hans Riemer emphasized the social justice issue of where to place new public transit projects—determining what communities should be served—and the importance of maintaining and improving existing bus service.

In response to audience questions, Farley mentioned the strong support for public transit by millennials and that investing in a transit project means that funds invested will come back to the community.

He also noted: “If you’re driving alone, you think of other drivers being in your way. Taking public transportation builds community.”

APTA Vice Chair Phillip Washington, general manager of Denver’s Regional Transportation District, moderated the session.

Panelists, from left: Hans Riemer, Steve Farley, William Euille, Robert Bauman, and moderator Phillip Washington.