California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) approved a bill on Oct. 10 that will ask Bay Area residents to permit a toll increase on seven regional bridges. If voters approve the measure, expected to be on the ballot in 2018, an estimated $4.2 billion will be raised for local transportation projects. The governor also approved a measure that enables the Caltrain Board of Directors to ask voters for approval of a local sales tax to enhance San Francisco to San Jose commuter rail service. Read More>>

Raleigh, North Carolina, residents overwhelmingly approved a $206.7 million bond measure on Oct. 10 to kick-start local transportation projects. The bond, funded by a 1.29 cent property tax increase, received 72 percent approval in early results. Read More>>

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development secretary Shawn Wilson warned state lawmakers on Oct. 11 that the agency has only $691 million this year to fund transportation improvements and is facing a $13.1 billion backlog in projects. Read More>>

Mississippi Sen. Dean Kirby (R- District 30) plans to introduce legislation in 2018 to ask voters for approval of a comprehensive transportation funding proposal, including increasing the state gas tax by 1.5 cents-per-gallon, instituting a $150 electric vehicle fee and $75 hybrid vehicle fee, and creating a new care tire fee. Inspired by Georgia T-SPLOST initiatives, the measure would be placed on the ballot in every transportation district in the state. Read More>>

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary David Ross on Sept. 29 requested that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rescind approval of a road reconstruction project on I-94 between the Marquette and Zoo Interchanges. The federal agency had previously warned the state that authorization would be revoked if a funding plan wasn’t presented by Sept. 30. In addition to funding challenges, the Sierra Club and the Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope sued in March in an attempt to get public transit included in the I-94 project plan. Read More>>