The Nov. 3 elections in the U.S. delivered several high-profile “wins” for transit, including a measure passed in California that will deliver Caltrain its first source of dedicated funding. The Mountain Line in Missoula, Mont., will see additional funding from an approved mill levy increase that will support its Zero Fare program, as well as additional and expanded service. But the crown jewel of the transit measures passed was Proposition A (Prop A) in Austin, Texas.
Through passage of Prop A, Austin voters opted to increase property taxes and dedicate 8.75 cents per $100 of the city’s operations and maintenance portion of the tax rate to the transit system, which will use the revenues toward the Initial Investment of Capital Metro’s Project Connect. Prop A is estimated to raise $175 million annually for the $7.1-billion mega program that includes 27 miles of new rail, a light-rail tunnel in downtown Austin, expanded bus service on both rapid and commuter routes, as well as new facilities such as Park & Rides and a transit center.
“With the passage of Proposition A, voters have given the green light to a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionize our transportation infrastructure and provide people in our community with a safe, reliable way to get around. Project Connect will be better for our residents’ health, the environment, our safety and our economic prosperity. Now, in partnership with the community, we are ready to begin the hard work to make this vision a reality,” said Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk.
The passage of Prop A would be great news on its own, but Austin voters also passed a second measure, Proposition B (Prop B), that will raise $460 million through bond sales for a series of transportation infrastructure projects such as sidewalk improvements, urban trails, bikeways, transportation safety projects and $19 million in local transit enhancements not covered in Project Connect.
These local transit enhancements include projects that address improvements in local bus services, transit access, expansion of the shared micromobility fleet, first and last mile connections and communications technology.
The city’s efforts delivering on the projects funded through Prop B will improve access to and possibility increase use of the projects delivered through Project Connect.
Austin’s Prop A and Prop B are two complementary measures with the same end goal: better mobility. I look forward to reporting on the progress of Project Connect and Austin’s transportation infrastructure projects and I hope these programs can provide an example for other cities and transit agencies of what is possible when efforts are harmonized.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
