Infrastructure Bill a Missed Opportunity to Fix the Gas Tax?

The infrastructure bill passed by the Senate last week is important not just for what’s in it, but also for what’s not. What’s not is a much needed increase in the fuel tax that feeds the federal Highway Trust Fund, said Jim Burg, president of James Burg Trucking Co., Warren, Mich. Burg is also co-chairman of the American Trucking Associations’ Infrastructure Funding Task Force.

The $1-trillion bill includes $550 billion in new spending, $350 billion of which is earmarked for traditional infrastructure projects such as repairs to roads and bridges. “This is significant, but not the entire amount needed to restore our nation’s roads to the level of efficiency and safety from 10 years ago. It falls short of adjusting the fuel tax to equal the increased cost of construction and the increase of fuel economy every vehicle has gained since 1994,” Burg said.