Increase public transportation funding in the next federal transportation bill, 2. The source of funding is state taxpayer dollars. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is retooling its plan for how to spend Measure B tax dollars after several cities protested the VTA's plan to spend most of the money on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) extension to downtown San Jose. Housing and Transportation Affordability 4. Any cut to transit funding is a repudiation of the bipartisan agreement made in 2015 (the FAST Act) and the historic 80/20 split for highways and transit funding. ... Arlington looks to improve access to public transportation, bike parking facilities and the promotion of carpool options. The West River Transit Authority, Inc. will receive funding to expand services and increase customer access for transportation to medical and wellness appointments in rural and transit-dependent communities with a smartphone app for ride booking, cancellation and confirmation. For as long as I’ve been working in transportation and probably longer, the debate surrounding the federal transportation program has been a one-note affair: a never-ending fight over who gets money and how much money they get. At present, funding for NEW tollway lane mileage lessens money for maintenance on existing streets and roads. “Last year’s proposed $25 million increase in operating funding for NJ Transit was woefully inadequate, which is why we fought so hard to add $50 million to the budget,” she said. The act, which supports transit funding through fiscal year 2020, reauthorizes FTA programs and includes changes to improve mobility, streamline capital project construction and acquisition, and increase the safety of public transportation systems across the country. Now, the agency's revised plan will reallocate the funding to support … And then, predictably, states, interest groups, members of Congress and others call for more money for the federal transportation program as the only logical solution, with no clear promises made for how this money will solve any of the problems outlined above or precisely what will be better or different after five years of spending yet billions more. The Governor proposes an increase of $31. Physical Activity from Transportation 6. Increased fares Sixth, public transport fares could increase as services are improved, particularly on premium trunk services, but only if the other … Enter your email address to receive all blog posts & releases via email. • All FTA formula grant funding in FY 2021 would be at a 100 percent federal share, requiring no state or local match. With public transportation taking a beating during the pandemic, transit advocates hope that the incoming Biden administration will approve federal funding to support floundering systems and improve service across the country. Meanwhile, the nearly parallel regional commuter rail line announced fare increases (To lessen travel demand?) Road Traffic Fatalities by Mode 8. A rural transit program's door-to-door service in Ames is at risk as federal funding is no longer available to subsidize rides in city limits. We’ve moved from the exponential returns of building brand new connections where they didn’t exist to the diminishing, marginal returns of spending billions to add a new lane of road here and there, which promptly fills up with new traffic. With the release of our brand new policy platform and … “Even with that $50 million added, NJ Transit acknowledged it would be facing at least a $86 million deficit for the upcoming year. The funding package included $14 billion to help public transit agencies across the country facing severe revenue shortages as a result of COVID-19. Public transportation is a $71 billion industry that employs more than 420,000 people. The legislation provides $12.9 billion for public transportation in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. Whereas the 2016 budget for major transit capital expenditures was $2.2 billion, this list includes federal commitments for the $3.5 billion corresponding to the increase in funding the president is proposing for transportation overall—in other words, far more than Congress is likely to approve. April 22, 2020 < Back to Latest. “Every year since 2008, there has been a gap between the dedicated tax revenues flowing into the Another interstate route, highly congested I-95, will see toll lane additions at a cost of over $58 million per mile during three years of construction. The subsidy increase is capped by Virginia and Maryland at 3 percent. The five-year, $494 billion surface transportation bill released by the Democratic majority within the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure committee on June 3 aims to direct monies from the Highway Trust Fund to a spate of new formula and discretionary grant programs. Funding policy needs a priority change at both federal and state levels. This two-dimensional debate always leaves out an urgently needed conversation about the purpose of this federal transportation program. We are literally loosing entire populations at such a high rate that unless we make drastic changes to how we move as a people, our ecosystem will fall apart and eventually fail to support even us. Since 1996, public transportation ridership has increased by 31%—a growth rate higher than the 20% increase in U.S. population. Good Day Beth Osborne, What is it supposed to accomplish? Our question is whether that money can be spent in a way that accomplishes something tangible and measurable for the American people. This funding level is a reduction of 3.7 percent (-$503 million) below the FY 2019 enacted funding level. Your policy change, to drop an increase in transportation funding, is music to the ears of a few fiscal conservatives and some moderates (myself included). New construction in all modes should require a higher percentage of local match than maintenance and repair programs. There should also be a uniform federal share across all project modes – transit, commuter rail, aviation and highways. RT @annshikany: . Miles Traveled by Mode 5. The problem, at least in part, is that we simply have too much that serves the wrong goals, and preserving it mindlessly is no answer. See the national map of service cuts at: t4america.org/resources/transitfundingcrisis/, 1. investment in maintaining and recapitalizing our public transportation system. https://www.cdc.gov/policy/hst/hi5/publictransportation/index.html Yet only 17.7% of federal transportation funding dollars go to public transportation, as opposed to highways, and those funds are largely restricted to capital expenses (buying new buses), not operating expenses (paying bus drivers). Council member Julie Eiselt, a … Nationally, voters approved 90% of transit proposals last year, according to the American Public Transportation Association. $143.6 billion to the HTF…” What’s next for Transportation for America – opposing states from hiking gas taxes if you don’t like their investment policies? Since our inception in 2008, Transportation for America has always primarily advocated for reforming the federal transportation program. It would also increase the state’s corporate minimum tax to fund transportation projects. Transportation funding plan would increase gas taxes ... bridges and public transit. filled these shortfalls by transfers, largely from the general fund, that have shifted a total of Learn more about T4America's three simple principles for federal transportation investment. If approved, this proposition authorizes up to 0.15% sales and use tax expiring April 1, 2027, and as proposed in Ordinance 126115, to replace the current voter-approved 0.1% sales tax, expiring December 31, 2020. According to the Congressional Research Service paper, “Funding and Financing Highways and public transportation. Why are we spending $50 billion a year? © Copyright 2013-2017 Transportation For America | All Rights Reserved. The 2018-19 budget increases flex funding for public transit by $10 million a year over the FY 2016-17 budget. : today ’ s past time to elevate the national conversation about beyond... 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