Bad Roads Cost U.S. Drivers More Than $500 A Year - The Car Connection
America is great at many things, but one area where we could stand some improvement is our transportation infrastructure. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal , our nation's crumbling highways and byways cost drivers more than $500 per year -- and the situation's likely to get worse. A big reason for the slow, painful collapse of our infrastructure has been the persistent shortage of funds to repair and improve it. Much of that money comes from the federal gas tax, which hasn't been raised since 1993 and -- not surprisingly --... Various solutions to the problem have proposed, including increasing the gas tax and adding toll roads , but none of those ideas have gained traction with tax-averse politicians. ALSO SEE: 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Diesel Priced From At Least $33,705. It's true that state and local funds are available for infrastructure improvements, but many of those sources scaled back spending in the wake of the Great Recession and have... Between federal, state, and local resources, the Congressional Budget Office says that infrastructure spending has tumbled 19 percent since 2002. Meanwhile, drivers like us are left to deal with potholes, uneven roads, and worse. A 2013 study by the American Society of Civil Engineers said that infrastructure deterioration cost U. S. drivers an extra $324 annually. Source: www.thecarconnection.com
