Voters Approve $41 Billion for State and Local Transportation Investment

Image: 2014-2024 General Election Transportation Investment Ballot Measures

The following information was provided by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).

Voters November 5th approved 77 percent of 370 state and local ballot initiatives that are expected to generate $41.4 billion in new and renewed funding for roads, bridges, trails and rails, according to initial results compiled by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).

Some revenue will be available immediately through bond agreements, while most will be generated through sales, property, or other taxes collected gradually over as many as 30 years.

Transportation funding measures tracked by ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center (TIAC) appeared on ballots in at least 25 states, with 23 states approving at least one statewide or local question.

“The support for these ballot measures during one of the most consequential national election cycles in modern history proves that transportation investment continues to transcend partisan politics,” said TIAC senior director of state funding policy Carolyn Kramer Simons. “Voters from all parties and geographic areas agree on the need to invest in roads, bridges, and transit infrastructure.”

Voters approved $41 billion in local transportation investment in 2024 – 86% will go towards highways, streets and bridges.

Key Outcomes

• Washington state: Voters chose to keep the state’s carbon credit market, a portion of which is used for its transportation budget on projects to improve transit, electrify ferries, advance high-speed rail, and for initiatives to improve pedestrian safety.
• California: Voters rejected a statewide measure lowering the threshold required to pass local bonds and special taxes from 66.67 percent voter approval to 55 percent voter approval. This would have eased the burden on counties, cities, and towns seeking revenue to maintain and improve roads, bridges, trails, and other transportation-related infrastructure.
• South Carolina: Four out of nine counties renewed or enacted a local sales tax for transportation purposes, approving $11.7 billion in funding for roads, bridges, and transit.
• Arizona: Voters renewed a half-cent transportation sales tax, which will generate $14.9 billion in revenue for another two decades.
• Nashville: Voters approved $3.1 billion for the city’s transit system, sidewalks, and roads after overwhelmingly supporting a half-cent sales tax increase.

The full ballot report is available on the Center’s website. Final results will be certified over the next few weeks.

SSSBA is Here to Help!

The American steel industry is able to meet the opportunities generated through new funding initiatives.

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) provides tools, expertise and educational resources to convert plans into projects.

For more information, please explore the SSSBA website or contact Dan Snyder at dsnyder@steel.org