21st Century Transportation for Arizona Reports

From World War II until just a few years ago, the number of miles driven annually on America’s roads steadily increased. Then, at the turn of the century, something changed: Americans began driving less. By 2011, the average American was driving 6 percent fewer miles per year than in 2004. The trend away from driving has been led by young people.

Highway advocates often claim that roads “pay for themselves,” with gasoline taxes and other charges to motorists covering—or nearly covering—the full cost of highway construction and maintenance. They are wrong.

This Arizona PIRG Education Fund report outlines funding options that transportation officials can explore to expand the light rail system in the Phoenix metro area and why expanding the light rail is important.

Arizonans clearly desire increased and improved public transportation options, as proven by the fact that the public has voted in favor of taxes to support public transportation in the past. Furthermore, since the light rail line began operation, it has consistently achieved higher-than-expected and record-breaking ridership numbers. Whereas many people initially questioned the benefits of light rail – especially when weighed against any costs that would be incurred – and many business owners complained about how much light rail construction hurt their business, since the rail’s completion the overall feedback has been generally positive.