Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Gas Tax

Confronted With Congestion Pricing, People Clamor for Transit, Gas Tax

By Tanya Snyder | Jan 24, 2013 | 3 Comments

Could a congestion pricing program work in the DC region? Maybe. But first, officials would need to get the public on board — no easy task. A report on the conclusions from five public forums, held in the region between October 2011 and January 2012, suggest that more and better transportation options need to be […]

Drivers Cover Just 51 Percent of U.S. Road Spending

By Angie Schmitt | Jan 23, 2013 | 88 Comments

There’s a persistent misconception in American culture that transit is a big drain on public coffers while roads conveniently and totally pay for themselves through the magic of gas taxes. And that used to be true — at least for interstate highways, a fraction of the total road network. But that was many, many failed […]

Outgoing AASHTO Director: Assess Gas Tax By the Dollar, Not By the Gallon

By Tanya Snyder | Jan 17, 2013 | 2 Comments

When the federal gas tax was set at 18.4 cents per gallon, it represented 17 percent of the cost of a gallon of gas. Now it’s barely 5 percent. That was 20 years ago. Some say the answer for today isn’t just to raise the gas tax but to re-imagine it. John Horsley, executive director […]

Bob McDonnell: Everyone Should Pay For Virginia’s Roads (Except Drivers)

By Angie Schmitt and Tanya Snyder | Jan 9, 2013 | 5 Comments

In transportation circles, there’s an endless debate about how to fund infrastructure. Raise the gas tax? Index it to inflation? Institute a vehicle-miles-traveled fee? Many jurisdictions have turned to property taxes, bonds, and sales taxes as a supplement. But Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is blowing the whole thing wide open with a half-baked scheme for the […]

Will the Next Transpo Chair Continue Attacks on Bike/Ped Funding?

By Tanya Snyder | Nov 15, 2012 | 7 Comments

This is the second of two posts examining Rep. Bill Shuster’s candidacy for the chairmanship of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Yesterday, we took a look at Shuster’s positions on rail and his leadership style. Here we delve into his record on active transportation and the always-thorny topic of funding. While you might […]

What Has President Obama Done to Improve American Transportation Policy?

By Tanya Snyder | Nov 2, 2012 | 8 Comments

With the election just days away, it’s a good time to reflect on what the Obama administration has done with transportation policy – and what a Romney administration might have in store. Streetsblog does not endorse candidates. This is an overview of their respective records and a look back at what we know of these […]

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