Transit Projects Seek Voter Approval for Financial Support

This article provides an overview of about a dozen transit financing ballot measures that will go to voters in Fall 2008. If all are approved, they will amount to some $55 billion for transit investment. The author describes a $42 billion package for transit and highways in Arizona, a $10 bond issue for initial financing of a high-speed rail line between San Francisco and Los Angeles, a 25 percent sales tax increase to finance a 70-mile regional rail and trail project in Sonoma County, various light rail, commuter rail and regional bus expansion in the Puget Sound area, as well as other projects. Also described are olans for expansion of Metro Vancouver and TransLink in Canada, where the provincial government has the last say on transit, rather than voters.