St. Louis Votes to Fund Transit; Fort Worth Goes Ahead with Streetcar

The proof is in the vote. (Image: UrbanSTL)

Reports of transit-related victories are coming from two cities with bloggers in the Streetsblog Network this morning.

First, from St. Louis, the news that Proposition A -- a half-cent sales tax to fund St. Louis County's Metro operations -- passed, with 63 percent of voters approving. The measure, which will prevent scheduled cutbacks and restore some service that was eliminated earlier, is a big win for transit advocates who argued that all residents of St. Louis County -- not just transit riders -- benefit from good public transit. Dotage St. Louis hailed the news, as did UrbanSTL, which pointed out that "the approval of Prop A means that for the first time in Metro history, the transit agency has a substantial, dedicated local funding source."

The Exquisite Struggle wondered if Prop A's victory heralds "the quiet dawn of regionalism," the reversal of a fragmentation that began in the late 19th century when the city of St. Louis split from St. Louis County:

Meanwhile, in Fort Worth, a challenge to a planned streetcar system was overcome -- for now, at least -- when the City Council unanimously approved the next phase of study for the system. Fort Worthology has the rundown.

More from around the network: A sweet little video on complete streets by CommunityDesignGroup in Minneapolis caught the attention of Narrow Streets Los Angeles. CommuteOrlando Blog announces a collaborative effort to find better bike routes in that Florida city. And Tulsa Alternative Transportation Examiner says that the League of American Bicyclists should focus on cyclists' basic right to use the road.