ATRI Infrastructure Funding Report Backs Fuel Tax

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) just released a new report assessing the nation’s infrastructure needs. Entitled, “A Framework for Infrastructure Funding,” the report concludes that a federal fuel tax increase is necessary for attaining the large-scale infrastructure program envisioned by the administration. Generating enough revenue through other mechanisms, such as mileage-based user fees and increased tolling, would place undue hardship on system users.

ATRI suggests a federal fuel tax increase will incentivize states to match federal funding for infrastructure. The tax has not been increased in more than two decades. The report finds that a 20-cent federal fuel tax increase would generate around $30 billion annually and create nearly half a million jobs.