Figuring out ways to pay for highway infrastructure is no easy task – just witness the multi-year Congressional wrangling over the crafting and subsequent non-passage of several surface transportation reauthorization bills.
Still, roads must be built and maintained – same for bridges, too. Thus some method must be agreed upon to come up with the money to do so.
To that end, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) updated its so-called “revenue matrix” of highway funding options – a list the group originally pulled together back in 2012. The video below provides a brief overview:
“Ultimately it is up to Congress to determine the best way to fund surface transportation and we know that building support for a path forward will involve some difficult compromises,” said Bud Wright, AASHTO’s executive director, in a statement. “This updated tool is meant to help Congress with that challenge.”
While many might find some of the options unpalatable – broader tolling efforts is one that comes to mind – Wright stressed that this “matrix” is really designed to be a reference guide so everyone, especially the politicians, gets to review as many available funding options as possible.
“We don’t recommend any single approach over others,” he added. “We do, however, absolutely remain committed to continue assisting Congress in identifying and implementing a revenue solution based on Congressional leadership and ‘the art of the possible.’”
We’ll see if the chances for such “possibilities” will improve after the midterm elections conclude next week.
