Highway Trust Fund

The S.C. Dept. of Transportation is so broke that it won't be able to pay its contractors after meeting its payroll. It is depending on a payment from the FHWA and requesting additional reimbursements while rejecting federal funds for education.

August 17, 2011 - The (Charleston) Post and Courier

The American highway is in shambles, and there is not enough money to fix it, reports Zach Rosenberg of Car and Driver Magazine.

July 6, 2011 - Car and Driver

Transportation consultant and analyst Ken Orski looks into the transportation provisions of President Obama's proposed 2012 budget and beyond and notices some major shortfalls - and poses questions to the administration as to how they will be funded.

February 23, 2011 - InfrastructureUSA

The deficit commission has proposed a 15-cent gas tax, which would fund the Highway Trust Fund for needed infrastructure projects as opposed to deficit reduction. Brooking's Robert Puentes explains why it was included.

December 14, 2010 - The New Republic

One of the most significant pieces of legislation for transportation was last month's job bill that contained essential transportation provisions, including extension of the transportation act, $19.5 Billion to HTF, $4.6 billion to Buy America Bonds.

April 2, 2010 - AASHTO Journal

The Economist looks at the looming battle between Congress and the Administration over whether to proceed now on transportation reauthorization or delay it 18 months, and concludes that the bottom line will be the funding mechanism.

July 6, 2009 - The Economist

The transportation reauthorization bill will be hotly debated this fall on at least two fronts - finding a sustainable funding source and apportioning the revenues. The 18.4 cent gas tax, its funding source, declined 33% due to inflation since 1993.

June 8, 2009 - The New York Times - U.S.

Back in September, we reported that the trust fund had to receive an $8 billion bailout. Reuters reports that a second bailout is required to prevent the fund from going broke by August. Sen. Boxer indicates she supports indexing the gas tax.

June 4, 2009 - Reuters

That was the title the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation chose for a hearing on April 28. Panelists: Ray LaHood, DOT Secretary; Steve Heminger, MTC; Jame Corless, T4America; Ann Canby, STPP, and Ned Holmes, TX Transp. Comm.

May 4, 2009 - Streetsblog

Planetizen has teamed up with National Journal, a weekly politics and policy magazine, to explore transportation issues. As part of National Journal's Transportation Experts blog, we've asked Planetizen Interchange bloggers and National Journal's Transportation Experts whether money from the Highway Trust Fund should be used for non-highway projects like bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

May 4, 2009 - Planetizen

Of primary importance will be dealing with the National Highway Trust Fund, long the source of federal transportation funding, but not having seen an increase in the gas tax for 15 years, it is essentially broke - spending more than it brings in.

December 3, 2008 - The Washington Post

Last week, transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced that the Highway Trust Fund will be empty by Oct. 1st. This editorial considers two possible options to fund transportation.

September 23, 2008 - The Washington Post

Taxpayers, not transit users, will bail out motorists to keep the highway trust fund solvent. The administration had initially proposed to use transit funds and veto using general funds, but with the fund scheduled to go bust in Oct., they relented.

September 9, 2008 - Los Angeles Times via San Francisco Chronicle