An Investment in Transit is an Investment in Virginia's Future • April 2001

It is no secret that Virginia has a transportation problem. Public transit should be a larger part of the solution. We need to invest in transit to see the many benefits it can yield to communities of all sizes: adding capacity to congested corridors, increasing mobility, attracting tourism and business, and sustaining livable communities.

Transit Funding Structure

Federal, state and local funds, and passenger fares provide money for transit.

The state funds are a much smaller share of transit funding than the state share of highway funding. As a percentage, localities have to pay significantly more on a yearly basis for transit operations than they do for roads. In FY 2001, local governments generally budgeted $118 million for transit in their communities -- a twenty percent share of the total transit funding for the state. In contrast, local governments generally budgeted $34 million for highways -- a mere 1% share of total highway funding. This funding structure is clearly a financial disincentive for localities to improve and expand transit.

The Virginia Transit Association advocates for the creation of a more balanced transportation system. VTA is working to increase the state investment in transit and give localities more flexibility to raise revenue for transit.

In the short term, localities can capitalize on what the state does offer. The more a locality funds transit, the more state funds will come to the system. Cuts in local funding for transit will cause cuts in state funding to that system. It’s hard to come up with the money for transit at times. Heavy reliance on local general funds puts public transit in competition with education and public safety for scarce local revenue. However, in order to obtain state funds to maintain and improve transit at the local level, localities have to keep investing in transit.

Looking Towards Expansion, Not Just Bare Maintenance

Limited funding levels for transit have resulted in an emphasis on bare maintenance, rather than continued improvement and expansion. This is not so for highways. It is illustrative to compare the funding available for transit expansion/improvement to highway improvement programs. About half of the approximately $230 million in federal, state, and local funding available for transit capital in FY 2001 is necessary to maintain the existing system. The remaining $119 million available for transit improvement/expansion projects is tiny in comparison to the $1.6 billion budget in FY 2001 for highway acquisition and construction. $119 million is equivalent to one-half of one road project (e.g. Rt. 288).

Study after study shows that building more highways alone will not solve the traffic congestion problem. A more balanced approach is required. The state and localities should be proactive in building transit alternatives to relieve current congestion problems and to keep communities livable by preventing congestion crises. Public transit can be an attractive option to riders of all incomes.

Under-investment in transit builds in disincentives to ride. Inadequate funding results in: low ridership, high fares, outdated and unappealing buses, lack of parking, lack of routes to suburban destinations, and minimal amenities at bus stops. Public transportation systems struggle to serve as many people as possible, but without enough financial support, service is often spread thin, reliance on rider revenues is too high, and quality can suffer, thereby suppressing ridership. And yet, investment in transit brings results. For example, the newly inaugurated Charlottesville Free Trolley connecting the University and downtown serves 1,000 riders per day. The Washington Metro is second in ridership only to New York City.

Did You Know?

• One commuter using transit for one year saves 200 gallons of gas. One 40-foot bus takes 60 cars off the road. One six-car heavy rail train replaces 800 single-occupancy vehicles.

• The Springfield Interchange (or "Mixing Bowl") Project will cost $500 million to complete. It will add 50 bridges and 24 extra highway lanes to a two-square mile area. There are currently no projected outcomes for reduced congestion or improved road capacity in the mixing bowl. While increased safety is a priority, this project will not alleviate traffic on any other section of the Beltway.

• Transit projects get more "bang for your buck." Consider the highway project currently underway on Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia: for $535 million, I-66 will accommodate 11,500 more passengers per hour -- on the road. However, the I-66 transit project does more -- for a mere 33% more in cost, the transit system will move almost 3 times more people -- off the road.

• The Dulles Corridor in Northern Virginia is the largest corridor in the country without rail transit. The Dulles Corridor Rail Project will establish rail stretching the twenty-five miles from Tyson’s Corner to Dulles Airport. This expansion signifies a 25% increase in the total Metro system mileage. It is conservatively estimated that the rail line will serve 116,000 riders per day by 2020.