More evidence that the public strongly supports system preservation comes from a survey performed for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. When asked to rank the importance of a variety of potential priorities for WisDOT, preservation came out on top by a wide margin with 47.3 percent of respondents citing it as “extremely important.” A year earlier, a survey for Washington DOT found a similar result in that state.
funding
Alternatives to the Public Funding and Operation of Colorado's Rest Areas (Colorado DOT, 2013)
As Colorado DOT continues to close rest areas due to tight budgets, it should look for alternatives to fund their operation and maintenance. These alternatives include small-scale strategies such selling tourism related items or lottery tickets, and a large-scale strategy that includes developing a commercialized rest area outside of the interstate right of way through a public-private partnership. In addition, CDOT could advocate for changes to federal law.
Alternatives to the Public Funding and Operation of Colorado's Rest Areas (Colorado DOT, 2013)
As Colorado DOT continues to close rest areas due to tight budgets, it should look for alternatives to fund their operation and maintenance. These alternatives include small-scale strategies such selling tourism related items or lottery tickets, and a large-scale strategy that includes developing a commercialized rest area outside of the interstate right of way through a public-private partnership. In addition, CDOT could advocate for changes to federal law.
Transit-Oriented Development in the States (NCLS, 2012)
This report from the National Conference of State Legislatures examines state legislative action to define transit-oriented evelopment, plan for and fund TOD, provide “last-mile” transportation solutions to get to and from a transit stop, and a number of other states strategies to encourage TOD.
Finding the middle – balancing public and private interests with P3s
Many agencies have been slow to adopt a public private partnership model for transportation financing, which offers both funding opportunities and shortened timelines. One problem is that municipalities and states may not have the capacity to match the right private partner to the appropriate project and assess taxpayer impacts. Is it time to consider dedicated offices to handle P3s?
An environmentalist’s call to curb the federal role in transportation
In the post-Interstate-building era, questions about the role of the federal government in funding surface transportation have become more common. Most of these arguments have come from conservatives. A new call for eliminating the federal role comes from a different perspective, though—a green one.
Virginia governor proposes scrapping gas tax, raising sales tax to fund transportation
Most discussion of possible solutions to the problem of stagnant gas tax revenues has focused on increasing user fees in some way – e.g., by raising fuel taxes, adding tolls, and/or adding VMT-based fees. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s proposal to eliminate the gas tax and pay for transportation with an increased sales tax, thereby abandoning the decades-old concept of funding transportation with user fees, seems to have united both the left and right in opposition.
Midsize Cities on the Move: A Look at the Next Generation of Rapid Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, and Streetcar Projects in the United States (Reconnecting America, 2012)
This study of next generation transit options in midsize cities – those between 50,000 and 250,000 – focuses in on the place that bus rapid transit and streetcars can play in improving the operations of transit systems that are usually based around buses. In a look at 14 cities, they look at best practices, funding strategies, and actual or projected outcomes.
SSTI Report on State and Local Transportation Revenue Sources (SSTI, 2013)
This SSTI report examines innovative, sustainable transportation funding models to assist decision-makers in identifying policies and practices to augment the current fuel tax revenue system. The report provides a broad account of these funding methods, where they have been implemented or proposed, and identifies state laws, policies, and practices that permit state DOTs and local governments to pursue a more sustainable funding model. The report, completed with the participation of North Carolina DOT, as well as Arizona, Illinois,Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington DOTs, suggests ways multiple revenue sources might be packaged to support and maintain transportation systems.
Washington State Energy Efficiency Education Campaign (Spitfire Strategies, 2012)
As part of Spitfire’s work with SSTI and the Washington State Department of Transportation to develop a collaborative transportation energy efficiency campaign, Spitfire conducted a series of research activities to inform campaign planning.