Toll Roads? Gas Tax Increase? Do Nothing?

Congestion mobility the TransTexas Corridor and toll roads are just some of the words or phrases that come to mind when talking about Texas’ transportation future.

First of all we’re a state of about 23 million people -- and it took us oh several thousand years to reach our current population figure.  Dr. Steve Murdock our state demographer tells us that we’ll be closer to 45 million by the year 2040 only 33 years from now.

Not all but many of our public roadways are already congested to the point that lots of Texans are frustrated and angry at the lack of mobility as well as the air pollution that “stuck in traffic” causes.

And if you don’t like traffic congestion with 23 million folks in Texas my guess is you’ll absolutely hate it without any new roads and nearly twice as many people.

The 20 cents per gallon state motor fuels tax barely covers the cost of maintaining our far-flung state highway system in Texas leaving precious little for new construction.

If there’s one thing I’m sure about it’s that Texas needs more roads if we’re to be responsible about our children and grandchildren and their future well-being.

Roads aren’t free.

In fact not only are they not free they’re darned expensive and somebody (Texas taxpayers mainly) has to pay for them.

Since the current state motor fuels tax is insufficient to pay for the new roads that we and future generations will need it seems only common sense that we would consider increasing that tax in order to raise the funds necessary to pay for the roads we need.

But the Governor has said he’ll veto any gas tax increase that the Legislature may pass -- so that option is effectively off the table.

What choices are left?  First we could do nothing and simply let the current conditions continue to deteriorate guaranteeing more congestion less mobility and more air pollution.  In my view this is not a realistic or responsible approach to take.

Second we could quit a practice begun by the Legislature a couple of decades ago in order to balance our state budget without raising taxes: diverting money from Fund 6 the dedicated motor fuels revenue tax account to things related to transportation but not specifically for construction and maintenance of our highway system.  I favor this approach but by itself it still won’t be enough additional money to fix our transportation challenges.

Third we could build roads now and pay for them with tolls as we use them.  This approach has been used to good purpose in Houston and Dallas but never in San Antonio and only recently in Austin.

There may be other options out there but if there are I haven’t heard them.

Building new transportation infrastructure for current Texans as well as their children and grandchildren is a major challenge for our state right now and I as your voice in the Texas Senate welcome your advice and suggestions.