While some states move forward on transportation funding legislation, others grapple with transportation revenue shortfalls.

State Transportation Funding Legislation Activity

Hawaii Gov. David Ige included a plan to increase the state gas tax by 3 cents-per-gallon, as well as raise state vehicle registration fees and weight taxes, in his state budget proposal. The measure was introduced in the legislature Jan. 27. Read More

The Indiana House passed a transportation funding bill, including motor fuel and cigarette tax increases, on Feb. 2 with a vote of 61-36. Two other bills to increase transportation funding were also approved in the Senate. Read More

The New Hampshire House Public Works and Highways Committee unanimously voted to establish a study on whether a road usage fee, being proposed in House Bill 1602, will be feasible for the state to carry out. Read More

Efforts to pass a motor fuel tax increase in South Carolina have stalled until the state Department of Transportation and state Infrastructure Bank can meet with the Senate Finance Committee. Further legislative action is unlikely to happen until the end of February. Read More

Minnesota Democratic and Republican leaders agreed on Feb. 1 that increasing transportation funding will be a top priority when the legislature convenes on March 8. Read More

An Oregon proposal by Rep. John Davis (R-Wilsonville) to increase the state gas tax was blocked by Democratic leaders in the Oregon House and will not be heard in the legislature. Read More

Legislation to end diversions from Idaho’s transportation fund to the state police is moving ahead to the Senate floor, while Pennsylvania advocates and officials debate introducing a similar measure in the state legislature.

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Transportation Funding Shortfalls

A proposal in Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s (R) budget to divert some sales tax revenue from Utah’s transportation fund caused concern on Jan. 29 over the possibility of delayed or canceled transportation construction projects. (Read More). On Feb. 2, Utah Department of Transportation Executive Director Carlos Braceras estimated that $472.6 million could be diverted from this proposal, impacting the agency’s long-range infrastructure plans. Read More

Revenue generated by Pennsylvania’s 2013 motor fuel tax increase legislation will be approximately $6 billion less than originally projected, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards said Feb. 2. Read More

West Virginia’s state gas tax revenue is expected to decrease from $434.8 million in the 2014-205 fiscal year to under $420 million this fiscal year, state Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox said Feb. 1. Similar toCalifornia and Kentucky, West Virginia calculates the state gas tax based off of the average wholesale price of gasoline, which has decreased dramatically over the past year. Read More

During a presidential campaign speech in New Hampshire on Feb. 4, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) reiterated his stance that he will not pass a motor fuel tax increase to replenish the state’s Transportation Trust Fund. Gov. Christie also stated that the transportation fund is not “going broke,” despite warning forecasts from a credit rating agency and state officials.  Read More

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Studies

A new report released Feb. 4 by TRIP, a national transportation research organization, found that New Mexico drivers spend a total of $1.9 billion per year in car repairs, traffic delays, and vehicular accidents caused by poor road and bridge conditions. Read More