WASHINGTON – This November, the power of the state and local governments in the American electoral process will be forcefully demonstrated. In addition to the presidential drama, another election story, with dramatic lessons about state and local influence, will play out as Americans in nearly half of the 50 states vote on hundreds of measures and initiatives that would support a range of transportation investments in their cities, regions and communities. By Eno’s count, there is over $250 billion at stake.
This includes $54 billion in Seattle for public transit, $12 billion for highway and transit projects in Broward County, Florida, and $3.6 billion for a range of investments in Sacramento. There are also scores of smaller proposals, such as expanding a seaport in Rhode Island, a new airport terminal in Durango, Colorado, and bike paths in Grand Haven, Michigan.
The Eno Center for Transportation has compiled an inventory of the transportation measures up for vote on Election Day. These include all types of transportation investments, from roads and rails, to seaports and airports, to bike lanes and sidewalks. The measures under each state are organized by:
- Locality
- Official Title
- Measure Identifier
- Summary
- Modes
- Projected Revenue
- Duration
Because of the different ways these measures are reported, the dollars raised are either presented as the amount generated annually or over the life of the measure. The database excludes general measures that combine transportation funding with other municipal purposes.
“While the nearly quarter-trillion in transportation dollars presented to voters will certainly get its share of attention, it’s not just about raising money. Alabamans will choose whether or not to establish special districts to manage toll roads. Virginia Beach is asking the public whether it should be allowed to extend the region’s light rail lines to the city. Voters in Spokane may decide whether to ban coal trains from passing through the city. The results may mean a future of more citizen involvement in the important transportation decisions that shape their communities,” added Robert Puentes, Eno President and CEO.
In the lead up to the election, Eno will continue to refine and update this database as more measures come online. Eno Transportation Weekly (ETW) will continue to feature detailed articles about ballot measures of particular importance throughout the United States. Following the election, ETW will analyze which measures passed or failed and identify electoral trends of note in 2016.
To view the database and read up on the measures featured in ETW, click here.
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