Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon. / Rick Bowmer, AP

The combination of dramatically improved fuel efficiency and an unwillingness or inability of politicians to raise the gas tax has created a major gap in transportation funding that will grow geometrically. Now is the time for a new approach.

Oregon introduced the country's first gas tax dedicated to road construction in 1919. This remained the principle mechanism for funding transportation across the country because it was an effective way to raise significant sums of money and was tied to the value provided to the road user. However, with the advent of hybrid vehicles, electric cars and rising efficiency in conventional engines, the link between fees paid and user benefit has been severed.

Congress has not raised the federal gas tax in 20 years, partly because gasoline is the only commodity Americans purchase with real price information supplied every time they pass gas station signs. Given the roller coaster of gas prices, it is no mystery that people don't like the gas tax, which half of Americans mistakenly think is increased every year.

With the purchasing power of the gas tax dwindling, the most promising funding alternative is a vehicle-mile-traveled fee (VMT), which Oregon is helping to develop as an alternative revenue source.

Oregon just completed the second phase of a 10-year VMT pilot project that demonstrated simple, practical technologies to keep track of miles driven and assess a road fee. Many Americans have privacy concerns, but this study gives drivers options to keep track of miles driven without recording where they go, including on-board navigation, a smartphone app or even a flat fee.

These same technology choices can provide other benefits to the driver, such as giving information about traffic hazards and paying for tolls or parking.

I've developed legislation to extend the Oregon pilot project to other states so drivers can understand the benefits of a new VMT system that pays for necessary road use and makes driving easier and more convenient.

The VMT is the most promising mechanism for funding the transportation demands of today and, especially, tomorrow. With the VMT, we can avoid the growing deficit in the Highway Trust Fund and generate the necessary resources to help renew and rebuild America.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., serves on the House Budget and Ways & Means Committees. He has long promoted alternative transportation and liveable communities.

Copyright 2015

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