Last Tuesday, voters across the United States cast their ballots in resounding support of transportation and infrastructure funding. This is part of a trend in 2025 where voters have approved 82 percent of more than 280 state and local infrastructure funding measures. These initiatives are expected to generate more than $24 billion in new and continued spending on roads, bridges, rail, and other systems.
Though the approved ballot measures varied considerably in size and scope, here are some of the most notable infrastructure wins on Election Day and in 2025.
Denver Approves Historic $1 Billion Bond for Transportation and Park Infrastructure
Voters in Denver overwhelmingly approved the Vibrant Denver bond package. It’s a nearly $1 billion initiative, the largest in the city’s history, that will finance more than 200 projects across the Mile High City. Nearly half of the funds provided by the bond will go to improving Denver’s transportation and traffic safety infrastructure. An additional $175 million is dedicated to upgrading the city’s park and recreation facilities.
Mayor Mike Johnston estimates that the combined impact of the Vibrant Denver bonds will generate 7,000 jobs and a $1.8 billion in economic benefits for the city.
Texas voters pass water infrastructure funding
In Texas, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 4, an amendment to the Texas Constitution that would allow the state to allocate $ 1 billion annual in sales tax revenue over a twenty-year period to the Texas Water Fund, a special fund created by the Texas legislature in 2023 to assist in financing water projects in the state. Funding from the initiative will be divided into two categories: financing for new projects to expand the water supply available in Texas and funding for existing water programs such as those involving flood control and agricultural water conservation.
Despite the significant investment, the largest water infrastructure investment in Texas history. It is estimated Texas’ infrastructure will require over $154 billion in funding over the next 50 years to meet its water needs.
Mecklenburg County, NC votes to fund road and transit projects
Citizens of Mecklenburg County narrowly passed a referendum to increase their local sales tax by 1% to fund future road and transit projects. The approved sales tax increase, from 7.25 to 8.25%, is expected to generate an additional $19.4 billion in revenue over three decades once it goes into effect July 1, 2026. The spending of the newly created revenue will be overseen by a new 27 member regional transit authority that has yet to be fully formed. As currently envisioned, 80% of the new sales tax revenue will be split evenly between road and pedestrian improvements and commuter rail expansion. The remaining 20% of new money is earmarked for bus system modernization.
Mecklenburg County is home to Charlotte, the state’s largest city, and has experienced greater than 20% population growth every decade since 1980.
Ohio reauthorizes $250 Million Annual Program for Local Infrastructure
Earlier this year, Ohio voters chose to reauthorize the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP), a state program that provides financing assistance for local government infrastructure projects. Under the latest reauthorization, SCIP will provide up to $250 million in general obligation bonds each year for the next decade to fund projects like bridges, roads, and water related infrastructure. First authorized in 1987, SCIP has now been reauthorized four times. It is estimated the program has supported 4,500 infrastructure projects across the state in last ten years alone.
What it means
These state and local electoral victories are reflective of a broader national trend supporting transportation and infrastructure investments. Since 2016, infrastructure has been on the ballot more than 3,000 times and voters across the country have approved 84% of these measures