Transportation advocates claim 70 percent success rate in 2012 elections

Transportation groups are claiming a nearly 70 percent success rate for transportation referendums in this week’s elections.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) said voters approved 25 out of 31 road spending measures and 13 out of 19 initiatives for public transit funding.

Both groups declared that the victories sent a message that voters are in favor of governments spending more on transportation.

“The results show the American people are looking for solutions to address their transportation challenges and are willing to pay more if they know the revenue generated will be used for its intended purpose,” ARTBA Chief Economist Alison Premo Black said in a statement.

“Despite concerns about the economy, voters throughout the country at a rate of nearly 70 percent voted on Nov. 6 to pass pro-public transportation ballot initiatives,” APTA President Michael Melaniphy added. “This successful trend of passing transit measures demonstrates that public transportation is a vital and essential service that people want and need. Even with economic concerns still on everyone’s minds, voters decided to pass taxes, create bonding or take other actions to improve or maintain public transportation.”

Among the road-funding initiatives ARBTA was touting after the election was a half-cent sales tax in Arkansas that will generate $1.3 billion. The association also said voters in Alaska approved a $453 million bond issue for transportation.

APTA similarly touted results in a sale tax approval in Orange County, N.C., and a $32 billion bond approval in Arlington, Va., that will benefit groups such as Washington, D.C.’s MetroRail subway system. 

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