Let’s Get ‘Shovel-Ready’
Date Posted: April 5, 2015
Posted In: Discussion,
From STLtoday: State and federal fuel taxes provide the bulk of revenue for transportation projects in Missouri. That funding source is no longer adequate because cars have become more fuel-efficient, while the fuel tax rate has not increased in almost 20 years, decreasing today’s purchasing power by more than 50 percent. After efforts by the Missouri Department of Transportation to pass a sales tax increase for transportation was rejected by voters in August, it has embarked on an effort to help motorists appreciate the impact budget considerations will have on road construction, improvements and maintenance.
The department recently outlined its plan for taking care of roads and bridges with a severely reduced construction budget. Under “Missouri’s 325 System,” MoDOT will use its annual construction budget — which is expected to drop to $325 million in 2017 — for only maintenance and rehabilitation of only existing primary roads. This was necessary because it would take $485 million to maintain all roads and bridges in the condition they are today. Obviously, there would be no funds available for enhancement of existing roads or construction of new ones. In addition, by 2017 Missouri will not be able to provide the 20 percent match to get federal funds, and that revenue will be lost to other states.