Well, there WAS this little thing called the ARRA...so Obama tried to do something about it the moment he got into office. Now you could make the argument that that was a vote-buying measure as well, but that doesn't take away from the fact that our infrastructure is quickly losing the race.
BART in California is one of (I think it is the 5th or 6th) highest utilized mass trans systems in the world. In 2005 it cost 300 million ABOVE fares to maintain annual operations and that doesnt touch the cost of installation, new rolling stock purchase, and that is one of the BETTER fare systems. The cost for installation is huge and to what gain? You not only dont recoup funds, it costs you to manage and maintain the system. So...we should build systems that we KNOW are going to add to city/state/fed gov budget debt?
Amtrak 71% 2009[8] 29% annual budget deficit
Atlanta (MARTA) 31.8% 2007[9] 69% annual budget deficit
Austin (CMTA) 9% 2007[10] 91% annual budget deficit
Boston (MBTA) 43.7% 2002[11] 54% annual budget deficit
Chicago (CTA) 55.2% 2010[12] 45% annual budget deficit
Cleveland (GCRTA) 21.5% 2002[11] 78.5% annual budget deficit
And on and on
Dallas (DART) 28.4% 2008[13]
Detroit (DDOT) 13.9% 2002[14]
Edmonton (ETS) 39.4% 2007 [15]
Harrisburg, PA (CAT) 35.0% 2005
Las Vegas Monorail 56.0% 2006[16]
Long Island (MTA) 26.6% 2009 Q1[17]
Los Angeles (LACMTA) 30.6% 2004[18]
Maryland 26.3% 2002[11]
Miami 16.1% 2002[11]
Montreal (STM) 57.1% 2006 [19]
New York City (MTA) 55.5% 2009 Q1[20]
New York/Connecticut (MTA) 36.2% 2009 Q1[21]
New York/New Jersey (PATH) 41.0% 2002[11]
New Jersey (NJT) 56% 2001[22]
Orlando (Lynx) 26% 2006[23]
Ottawa (OC Transpo) 43.2% 2007 [24]
Philadelphia (SEPTA) 58.6% 2002[11]
Pierce County, WA 13.0% 2009[25]
Philadelphia/New Jersey (PATCO) 61.4% 2002[11]
Portland Metro Area (TriMet) 22% 2010[26]
Puget Sound Region (King County Metro) 19.1% 2006[27]
Puget Sound Region (Sound Transit) 22.2% 2007[28]
San Francisco Bay Area (BART) 64.5% 2008[29]
San Francisco Bay Area (Caltrain) 41% 2006[30]
Staten Island (MTA) 15.2% 2002[11]
Toronto (TTC) 66.7% 2009 [31]
Toronto, Hamilton and area (GO Transit) 88.4% 2008 [32]
Vancouver (TransLink) 46.3% 2009 [33]
Washington, DC (WMATA) 61.6% 2002[11