VOTER ALERT: Infrastructure Projects Coming to a Ballot Near You

While the presidential and congressional elections dominate the national headlines, state ballot measures across the U.S. are attempting to remedy the deficit in transportation investment created by federal inaction. On November 8, voters across the nation will consider more than $200 billion worth of transportation related ballot measures—and pollsters are saying, due to public frustration with the growing gap between investment needs and public funding, the majority of these ballots are well positioned to become law. The need is certainly dire. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates there is a $3.6 trillion backlog in transportation infrastructure project needs, for both state-of-good-repair (SOGR) and expanded capacity. Transit alone faces an $86 billion shortfall in SOGR funding for upgrades to aging legacy systems. The good news is that, not only are there a large number of transportation ballot measures, but a significant portion of them are targeted specifically at transit.

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