An explainer of the monetary, environmental, and social costs of exuberant road building.
TxDOT plans to expand Interstate 35 in Austin, despite objections from local officials and community members. | Roschetzky Photography / Shutterstock
Reporting for KERA, Nathan Bernier outlines how the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which spends more on highways than any other state, funds its road projects. In the last ten years alone, Texas added 700 miles of new highways.
As Bernier explains, “The money for highways comes from a mix of gas taxes, vehicle registration fees, state sales taxes, levies on oil and gas companies and federal funds — which includes a big chunk of money from personal income taxes.” Historically, highways have been funded via a consumer gas tax that goes into the federal Highway Trust Fund. Now, federal dollars make up a smaller percentage of state’s road funding, and the Highway Trust Fund routinely runs out of money. “The federal gas tax — now 18.4 cents a gallon — hasn’t risen since President Bill Clinton's first year in office. The Texas gas tax is even older, frozen at 20 cents a gallon since 1991.”
Texas voters supported additional highway funding through several measures, letting the state dip into its Rainy Day Fund and allocating part of the state sales tax to road projects.
However, it’s not just about construction costs. “The true cost also includes external factors like traffic congestion, displacement, environmental impacts, and land use changes, all of which affect local communities.” Additionally, highways encourage sprawling suburbs and inefficient land use and prioritize driving over transit and other forms of transportation.
FULL STORY: Who pays for Texas highways?
Monday, May 20, 2024 in KERA News
Infrastructure Land Use Transportation Texas Texas Department of Transportation Highways Highway Funding State Highway Trust Funds Highway Trust Fund Sprawl View More
Related
The Alaska Department of Transportation and its consultants are working on a Planning and Environmental Linkages study of the Glenn-Seward Highway that bisects the middle of Anchorage, Alaska.
April 15, 2024 - Alaska Public Media
Experts argue that zoning, housing, and transportation policy are intimately linked.
February 22, 2024 - Federation of American Scientists
The report calls for a wholesale overhaul of U.S. transportation policy to redress the damages caused by decades of auto-centric development.
July 14, 2023 - Smart Growth America
Most Read
Oceanwide Plaza, shuttered mid-construction after its developer filed for bankruptcy, has stood vacant on prime Los Angeles real estate since 2019.
May 21, 2024 - The Architect's Newspaper
City officials in northeast Ohio are putting limits on how many car wash facilities can open in their towns.
May 16, 2024 - News 5 Cleveland
Planning is underway to restore a 45-year-defunct regional passenger rail line connecting southern Montana to Billings and Amtrak’s east-west Empire Builder line from Seattle to Chicago.
May 14, 2024 - 8KPAX
Latest News
Complete Streets advocates want the governor to fill the gap with funding from the state highway fund instead.
May 23 - Politico
Four states now have laws in place that prevent cities and counties from creating or continuing guaranteed income programs, and several more have tried or are trying.
May 23 - Bloomberg CityLab
Washington County has dramatically reduced per-capita water use, but the region’s explosive growth means increased demand for water.
May 23 - Reasons to Be Cheerful
Advertise with us
Jobs
Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer
City of Paso Robles
Planning and Zoning Manager
City of Gulf Shores
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Advertise with us
Events
News from HUD User
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Call for Speakers
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
RFPs and RFQs
Request for Qualifications, Consultant Services for Unified Development Ordinance
Knox County, Knoxville-Knox County Planning
25-012 Southern Nevada Equitable Access to Mobility Action Plan
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Attention Professional Planners: Join Our Survey on Urban Planning Engagement!
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
View More
