What caused the crisis?
There is no single cause that led to the funding crisis, but the fact remains that the current funding system is inadequate. State and federal funding levels for transportation have not increased with the rate of inflation and the recent double digit inflation in construction costs has made the situation worse. National efforts to reduce gasoline consumption by vehicles have succeeded, and while this is good national policy, it equates to decreased revenue from gas taxes. To compound the challenge, this year, for the first time ever, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) have decreased, causing less gasoline to be consumed thereby reducing the revenue from gas taxes. Lawmakers and experts from across the country agree that alternative funding solutions are needed.
