Highway Funding: The Last Bastion of Socialism in America

Since 1956, federal, state and local governments have invested nine times more capital funding in highway subsidies than in transit.

1 minute read

July 24, 2008, 12:00 PM PDT

By naparstek

"'A Better Way to Go,' a recent report by the USPIRG Education Fund, provides an illustration comparing cumulative government capital spending on highways versus transit in the United States since 1956. The eye-catching graphic shows that it's not even close.

Since 1956, federal, state and local governments have invested nine times more capital funding in highway subsidies than in transit. In 2004, state governments spent nearly 13 times more public funds on highways than on transit. On top of all that, the process for securing funding for new transit lines is far more onerous and less certain than for highway projects, with the federal government generally picking up a smaller share of the tab for new transit lines than for new highway projects."

Thanks to Aaron Naparstek

FULL STORY: Highway Funding: The Last Bastion of Socialism in America

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 in Streetsblog

Transportation United States Highways Transit Funding

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