Transit Funding

Austin Transit Planners Regroup After Bond Defeat

The voters of Austin rejected a $1 billion transportation bond in 2014, but transit advocates and Capital Metro staff are already reorganizing to make a new pitch for transit in the quickly growing city.

December 26, 2015 - Community Impact Newspaper

An Early Look at Seattle's Sound Transit 3 Ballot Initiative

Seattle is in the process of drafting a $27 billion transit funding initiative for the November 2016 ballot.

December 22, 2015 - Publicola

Texas Transit Agency Faces Financial Demise

The TAPS transit agency is severely distressed, and continuing to receive bad news about its finances.

November 27, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

Bus Riders, Bus Drivers Unify in Memphis

The unions of two groups sometimes pitted against each other in seeking their agenda for the bus system in Memphis have joined together against a common foe: the management of the Memphis Area Transit Authority.

November 25, 2015 - The Memphis Flyer

Critiquing the 2015 TIGER Grants: More Isn't Always Better

According to a scathing critique of the most recent round of TIGER funding, many of the awarded projects fall far below the quality that transit advocates expect.

November 24, 2015 - The Century Foundation

Google Self-Driving Car

Time to Take the Self-Driving Car Seriously?

So far, only a small minority of major cities have considered self-driving cars in their long-range transportation plans. The question is, should policymakers embrace them or stand in their way?

November 24, 2015 - TechCrunch

$500 Million in TIGER Grants Awarded to 39 Projects

The seventh round of TIGER funding was announced last week. Louisville provides a case study of how cities engage with the competitive grant process.

November 2, 2015 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

The Seat of Government

House Transportation Bill Misses Mark on Transit

Transit advocates have little good to say about the recently-passed Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act. While it doesn't cut transit funding, it does nothing to expedite transit-based solutions.

October 29, 2015 - Streetsblog Network

Report: Nashville's Transit Fit for a Smaller City

The Nashville Metro Transit Authority recently released a "State of the MTA" report, detailing the system's need for additional funding to improve in pace with the needs of a growing populace.

July 22, 2015 - The Tennessean

The Partisan Transit Divide

It's not quite as simple as Republicans opposing transit and Democrats supporting it. It depends what level of government is discussing it. On the local level, demand for better transit can transcend partisan divides.

June 8, 2015 - Roll Call

State Bill Would Add TIFs Along Transit Lines in Chicago

Expanded use of tax increment financing is on the table in Chicago—a city that invests less than its peers on building and running transit.

May 12, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Chicago Transit Facing $36 Billion Capital Investment Shortfall

Chicago transit agencies are falling behind its needed capital investments. A new report estimates that the CTA, Metra, and Pace will need to spend $36 billion over the next decade to catch up.

January 24, 2015 - Chicago Tribune

Op-Ed: Time to End Property Tax Funding for Transit in Toledo

The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority—one of the last agencies in the country to fund transit with property taxes—is unable to keep up with the times, according to an editorial arguing for a change.

January 20, 2015 - The Toledo Blade

Old DC Transit

D.C. Officials Dramatically Scale Back Streetcar System

In a recent move, officials from Mayor Vincent C. Gray's administration shortened DC's streetcar system to a much-shorter eight miles.

October 26, 2014 - The Washington Post

Image of train tracks at Plano, Texas train station

Commuter Rail Showdown: Houston versus Dallas

The rivalry between Dallas and Houston is well known, but Dug Begley recently made a compelling comparison between the two cities: their approach to commuter rail.

June 25, 2014 - Houston Chronicle

Can Miami Change, or is Car Culture in its DNA?

Esteban Bovo, chair of the Miami-Dade County Finance Committee, recently provoked the ire of transit advocates when he said that car culture is in the DNA of Miami.

June 3, 2014 - Transit Miami

St. Louis at a Transit Crossroads

A recent article tackles the counter-intuitive state of transit investment in the St. Louis region: “While the abundance of transit possibilities create a veneer of progress, the region is quietly in a public transit state of crisis.”

March 12, 2014 - nextSTL.com

Could Chicago Transit Agencies Soon Have to Compete for Funding?

Chicago's Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is considering overhauling how it distributes funds to the area's three transit operators: the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus and rail system, Metra commuter rail, and Pace suburban bus system.

August 21, 2013 - Chicago Tribune

Waiting for the Subway

When compared to China's accomplishments in completing subway lines, North America's cities look exceedingly timid, where construction timeframes can stretch into decades. Will Doig examined why.

February 7, 2012 - Salon.com

Senate Approves Federal Funding for NJ Rail Tunnel

Despite cancelling the ARC Tunnel project last year, New Jersey may build an alternative tunnel using U.S. Senate funding.

November 15, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

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