Missouri slated to receive $670M for public transportation system over 5 year from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill | Missouri Times

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

With an influx of federal infrastructure dollars on its way to Missouri, public transportation providers are awaiting a substantial investment.

Missouri is expected to receive $674 million for its public transportation system over the next five years, allowing for providers to maintain and upgrade their fleets while expanding their operations. Much of the allotment will be distributed through existing funding pots and will require a state match: . . .

“The big question will once again be what does our state investment in public transit look like, and that’s going to become even more important as we see these federal funding amounts grow,” Missouri Public Transportation Association (MPTA) Executive Director Kim Cella told The Missouri Times. . . .

Missouri ranked 45th in the nation in state transit investments, which have stagnated since 2016, according to Cella. The state’s 34 public transit providers split a $1.7 million operating assistance allotment this year, leaving some providers with as little as $5,000 in state funding.

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Missouri slated to receive $670M for public transportation system over 5 year from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill | Missouri Times

MoBikeFed comment: Click through to read the full article for more details. Missouri's state investment in public transportation really is abysmal - just $1.7 million is less than $0.30 per person per year.

That puts Missouri's state investment in transportation among the very lowest of all 50 states.

There is no dedicated funding source of state public transportation funding, so the amount is set each year by the Missouri General Assembly during its budget process.

The results of this funding method speak for themselves - funding is always low, varies randomly from year to year, and during an economic downtown when more people than ever depend on public transportation to meet their basic needs, it is usually cut or even eliminated entirely.

Federal funding makes public transportation possible in Missouri - to the extent that we have it at all - and local funding fills any remaining gaps as best it can.

We really need a better system in Missouri for funding public transportation and all non-highway transportation needs - from walking, bicycling, and trails to ports, airports, and rail.

Missouri doesn't have a system for funding these vital assets - they are an afterthought, if they are thought about at all at the statewide budget level.