On Nov. 4, voters passed measures generating more than $71 billion in new revenue for transportation infrastructure work, reports the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.


ARTBA tracked 37 state and local transportation funding-related ballot initiatives in 17 states. Of the 37 measures, 32 -- or 86 percent -- asked voters to initiate, extend or increase taxes, or approve bonds to fund transportation improvements. Twenty-five -- 78 percent of the bond and tax measures -- were approved with an average vote of 63 percent.

The measures included five statewide initiatives. Among them, Alaska authorized the state government to issue bonds for up to $315 million for transportation, and voters in Rhode Island approved $87.2 million in transportation bonds to match available federal funds for highway, road and bridge improvements.

Local measures included 12 initiatives to extend or renew an existing sales tax for transportation purposes (10 were approved), five bond authorizations (all were approved), two new taxes for transportation (one was approved) and 10 increases in existing sales or property taxes (five were approved).

The 2008 transportation ballot initiative results demonstrate continued strong public support for transportation investment for the third straight election.

The ARTBA report and others related to the election can be found online at: www.artba.org/ballot