Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on April 2020 signed Senate Bill 890 (2020) into law raising the state gas tax by 10 cents-per-gallon over two years and indexes the tax to the average wholesale price of fuel. Senate Bill 890 amends numerous laws related to transportation funds, safety programs, and revenue sources. The bill also implements multiple structural changes to the transportation funding system in the Commonwealth. Over the next four years this bill is expected to have a total transportation expenditure and distribution impact of over $1.5 billion.

This study analyses the campaign to increase Virginia’s transportation investment and examines the major contributions made by the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, Gov. Northam, and Virginia legislators. This study also examines the opposing and supporting campaign strategies employed over almost a decade in the lead up the bill and analyses comparisons to the campaign ‘best practices’ TIAC has identified to help readers utilize strategies in their own state.

Read the Virginia SB 890 case study.