Since federal funding for the interstate system was established in 1956, the federal role in surface transportation has expanded to include broader goals, more programs, and a variety of program structures. Consequently, the goals of current programs are numerous and sometimes conflicting, and the federal role in these programs is unclear. For example, federal programs do not effectively address key transportation challenges, such as increasing congestion and freight demand. Many surface transportation programs are also not linked to performance of the transportation system or of the grantees, and programs often do not employ the best tools and approaches. Finally, the fiscal sustainability of the numerous highway, transit, and safety programs funded by the Highway Trust Fund is in doubt, because spending from the fund has increased without commensurate increases in revenues.

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Problems continue to dog the Illinois tollway’s violation system, leading drivers to flood the agency’s phone lines and leaving no clear idea of how many scofflaws are on the roads.  And lawmakers’ efforts to make the aggressive fine system more consumer friendly are meeting resistance from tollway officials, several months after a Daily Herald investigation revealed systemic problems.

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The Road Commission is seeking a .5 mill tax — or 50 cents per $1,000 of taxable personal property — for each year from 2009-2014.

Road Commission Director Kent Rubley estimates the millage could bring in $4.4 million. He said $1 million would go to the cities, which are not under road commission jurisdiction, and another $1 million would be controlled by township officials for local road resurfacing.

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Capital Beltway drivers are one step closer to a smoother commute June 12 after $589 million in tax-exempt private activity bonds were issued for the first time ever by sponsors of the I-495 Capital Beltway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Project in Northern Virginia, announced Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters.

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Iowa Democrats took a first step toward filling the state’s roads and bridge fund shortage Wednesday by calling for lawmakers to evaluate a plan which would increase vehicle registration fees.

Part of that proposal includes higher fees for pickup trucks, something a former state legislator from Cedar Falls, Marv Diemer, has been lobbying for for years — but he said
today the current proposal doesn’t go far enough.

The majority of pickup truck owners currently pay a $65 annual fee, which decreases with the age of the vehicle, bottoming out at $35. Car, minivan and SUV drivers pay more, because their registration fee is based on a weight and vehicle value formula, although the figure also decreases with age.

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The bill calls for an increase in vehicle tab fees and removal of tab fee caps instituted by former Gov. Jesse Ventura. However, the change only takes effect once a new vehicle is purchased. The minimum fee would remain at $35.

Sponsored by Rep. Bernie Lieder (DFL-Crookston), HF2800 is similar to the one vetoed last year by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, but also contains some bonding aspects that aim to quickly fix some of Minnesota’s estimated $2.4 billion backlog of deteriorating roads and bridges.

Introduced Feb. 12, the bill was approved one day later by the House Transportation Finance Division on a 12-5 party-line vote, and has stops scheduled in the House Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes and Ways and Means committees by Feb. 19. A companion bill, SF2521, sponsored by Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing), is also on the fast track.

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The D.C. Council will consider legislation today that would raise the District’s vehicle registration fee by $5 to finance a more aggressive campaign against motor vehicle theft. Introduced by at-large Councilman Phil Mendelson, the bill would establish an independent nine-member authority charged with combating auto theft in the District, and provide the group a dedicated revenue source of roughly $1.3 million a year to implement its plans. “These additional resources should make a difference,” Mendelson said Monday. “We really aren’t providing the resources we need.”

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Prince William County supervisors are preparing to raise the decal fee on cars and trucks from $24 to $38 next budget year as the county attempts to recover millions of dollars in losses for road funding.

The 58 percent increase would pull in an additional $4 million during a transportation finance crisis that has county leaders preparing to kill two major road projects and delay another.

Local governments use the decals to identify registered cars in their jurisdictions and collect money for transportation projects.

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$35 million will come from a fraction of the $10 fee Salt Lake County residents pay when registering their vehicles, after a bit of shuffling of funds between Salt Lake City and the Utah Transit Authority.

The money, however, does come with some strings attached. The registration fee revenue can only be used for roads, so Salt Lake City would take that money, use it for roads, and then give UTA other money from other funds.

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Multnomah County commissioners decided Tuesday against putting a local vehicle registration fee for bridge repairs on the May 20 primary election ballot.

County Chairman Ted Wheeler said it was unwise to proceed because Gresham, Troutdale and Maywood Park opposed the bridge-funding plan and would demand a share of the fee proceeds be diverted to their jurisdictions.   Wheeler had hoped county voters would approve a 20-year, $24 annual vehicle registration fee providing local money to replace the Sellwood Bridge and repair other Willamette River bridges. The money would be used to match federal and other funds.

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