November 11, 2008

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2006 Conditions and Performance Report:

• Over one-half of all urban rail transit stations are substandard;

• One-third of our nation’s bus maintenance facilities are substandard;

• 16 percent of elevated transit structures are substandard;

• 13 percent of underground transit tunnels are substandard; and

• 8 percent of transit track is substandard.

A total investment of $15.8 billion (in constant 2004 dollars) is needed annually to maintain transit systems at their current condition and level of performance. To improve the overall condition and performance of transit systems, $21.8 billion (in constant 2004 dollars) is needed each year. In other words, the annual investment gap is $3.2 billion to maintain our transit systems and $9.2 billion to begin to improve our transit systems.