Crumbling roads and bridges are costing American an average of $444 in additional annual repairs to their car, and another $374 in fuel and lost time from sitting in traffic, according to the former Transportation Department secretary.
Stepping up his bid to win congressional support for new taxes or fees to pay for immediate and long-term fixes, Ray LaHood said, “Because 32 percent of major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, taxpayers are paying on average $444 each year in additional vehicle repairs and operating costs.”
What’s more, he added in a special roads issue of Ripon Forum, “because 44 percent of America’s major urban highways are congested, drivers are paying $121 billion in wasted time and fuel. That amounts to $818 per commuter each year.” There are over 200 million drivers on American roads.
LaHood, a rare — and often blunt — Republican in President Obama’s cabinet, wrote, “I know the deplorable state of our roads and bridges is not new news, but I am here to tell you: it’s worse than you think.”
He was joined in the special issue of the moderate GOP magazine named for the birth town of the Republican Party by key lawmakers who also would like to see advancement of infrastructure legislation this year.
In a Ripon interview, Rep. Bill Shuster, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said investment is needed now in roads, bridges and transportation hubs. “Ten percent of a product’s total cost can be attributed to transportation,” he said, “so when the system is inefficient, we all pay more for the goods we rely on every day.”
LaHood said that some $3.6 trillion is needed by 2020 to fix transportation facilities, including the interstate highway system started by former President Dwight Eisenhower. He said that the gas tax is not keeping up, in part because cars are more fuel efficient and also because the tax has not been raised in over two decades.
In the Ripon edition provided in advance or today’s release to Secrets, he said it’s time to raise taxes, especially since gas prices are down.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
