The presidential election result was surprising to many not only for its result, but for the blunt demonstration of the cultural, political and economic “coming apart” of rural and urban America. The American electorate has a lot of baggage to sort out, but in the meantime, the election did bring good news at the local level, both rural and urban: Some 49 state and local transportation proposals worth $200 billion went before voters, of which 34 passed. This general trend toward local investments in transportation is a healthy one.

Too many issues today are decided or predominantly funded at the federal level. Transportation is one of many possible examples: The Interstate Highway System dominates the modern popular impression of how infrastructure investment is done. Yes, it makes sense to have federal coordination and planning of major transportation networks that cross state lines. But commuter transportation networks — especially transit systems — are inherently local.