Staff Reports
Los Angeles County voters were promised major transportation improvements when they approved a tax measure to fund transportation projects. However, a new study by the Mineta Transportation Institute reveals that these promises have fallen far short of reality. The report singles out the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor project as a particularly egregious example of wasteful spending. The project was originally estimated to cost $4 billion but now has a price tag of at least $9.1 billion.
Perhaps it’s time to scrap the project altogether. This report, along with a recent study from the Marron Institute of Urban Management, demonstrates that the entire process of transit funding is broken and in need of serious reform. The United States has some of the highest transit infrastructure costs in the world, and these inflated costs are ultimately borne by businesses and taxpayers.
President Joe Biden’s administration has only exacerbated the problem with its massive infrastructure spending plan. The NYU report argues that before we pour more money into transit projects, we need to ensure that the funds are being spent productively. Currently, the United States is the sixth most expensive country in the world to build rapid-rail transit infrastructure. That’s unacceptable.
So what can be done? The Mineta report suggests that we need to rethink the way we plan and execute transit projects. The focus should be on achieving goals rather than simply completing projects. Additionally, public-private partnerships could be a solution. These partnerships not only provide private financing but also come with more effective cost controls. Long-term operations and maintenance contracts are also crucial to managing rising costs.
Furthermore, the NYU report emphasizes the need for regulatory reform. We should learn from low-cost cities and update our regulations and procurement processes accordingly. It’s time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on overpriced transit projects and start demanding accountability and efficiency.
