A recent report by the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR) says Louisiana’s roads and bridges fall far behind national norms. Apparently, the state needs $650 million a year in new revenue to cut down the $14 billion buildup of needed repairs and take on several “megaprojects” that would promote economic development.
However, the state’s major funding programs are already in trouble. The state Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) cannot keep up with increasing construction costs, the federal Highway Trust Fund is going downhill because of decreasing gas tax revenue and the state’s Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development (TIMED) program is insolvent.
PAR had a number of suggestions for the state, saying its people and economy would benefit from “less congestion, shorter commute times, lower vehicle maintenance bills, fewer traffic causalities, new and expanded businesses and improved tourism.”
The report first recommended additional gasoline and motor fuels taxes of 2 cents per gallon to fund current projects and shift the TIMED program toward solvency. These taxes should then be indexed to the rate of inflation and adjusted annually.
In addition, the $650 million funding goal should be the main priority of the state’s highway funding objectives, with new increases coming from more than just fuel taxes, but other major highway user fees as well, like auto licenses and truck registration fees.
PAR also suggested an annual budget request to focus on meeting the necessary funding while decreasing the backlog over time. Consideration of toll-based funding and public-private partnership opportunities by state and local authorities was recommended as well.
Gov. Bobby Jindal usually applauds PAR and similar groups but opposes tax increases. His spokesman did not have an immediate comment.
