The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation faces threats of reduced federal funding, potential repeal of the vehicle sales transfer tax provision, litigation, and diverted funds, a Feb. 28 report showed. The state’s Transportation Advisory Committee warned that these threats combined with current levels of funding, funding needs, and other risks could lead to transportation crisis. Read More>>
Alabama drivers pay an estimated $5.3 billion annually due to severe congestion and dilapidated roads, which requires an estimated $700 million annually to meet roadway capacity demands, a new report released Feb. 26 showed. These costs are estimated to only increase unless mitigated by additional transportation funding. Read More>>
To “fix the damn roads” Michigan state legislators are faced with the choice of generating new tax revenue, diverting revenue to fund construction, or borrowing money, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRC) said Feb 26. CRC President, Eric Lupher, said raising the gas tax is the most likely solution to the problem, mirroring a month-old proposal from former state legislators to triple the gas tax. Read More>>
Also in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) Feb. 27. is expected to outline a road transportation funding proposal in the first week of March, where she could address the state’s estimated $2 billion road maintenance gap. One revenue solution could be removing the sales tax from gasoline sales, thus reducing the total gas tax by 15.5 cents per gallon and allowing for a proportional gas tax increase, potentially amounting to $894 million in new annual revenue. Read More>>
Matt Magalis, acting secretary of the Illinois Department to Transportation, told a state senate panel Feb. 21 that the state needs an estimated $39 billion for expansion and maintenance over the next decade, including $13 billion to $15 billion during the next 10 years for highway maintenance alone. Read More>>