In recent years, fuel taxes and other funding mechanisms have not kept pace with the increasing costs of building and maintaining transportation infrastructure. Improved overall vehicle fuel efficiency has reduced fuel tax revenues.

The growing number of electric vehicles on the road is beginning to contribute to this challenge. Some states, perceiving that EV owners may not be paying their share of roadway costs, have adopted higher EV registration fees, which do not reflect the three primary drivers of roadway cost: width, weight and miles traveled. Other approaches, however, could more effectively account for highway maintenance costs — including the effect that EVs and other vehicles have on roadways — while continuing to encourage the development of cleaner, more sustainable modes of transportation.

In a webinar on July 16, Mark LeBel and Jim Lazar from RAP, along with Karen Glitman of the Center for Sustainable Energy, discussed and answered questions about the current state of transportation funding, the causes of highway construction and maintenance costs, and ways to implement better solutions for everyone who shares the roads.