Roads Task Force Debates Potential Infrastructure Funding Sources

A debate over a specific way to generate transportation funding dollars resurfaced in the state’s roads task force meeting Thursday.

The roads task force’s third meeting was focused on funding sources. And an idea promoted by a Purdue expert testifying before the panel provoked debate among its members: specifically, the value of vehicle miles traveled, or VMT, fees.

In a VMT system, people pay for how many miles they drive. Republican Sen. Brandt Hershman has issues with using that to fund roads.

“Where you have folks in rural areas who could very easily be paying much more than those in urban areas because they have to commute to a job,” Hershman says.

But Republican Rep. Ed Soliday says there’s value to a VMT system.

“VMT has – every study I have seen – has significantly greater collection fees than what we’re currently experiencing,” he says.

Outside of some discussion during its meetings, the task force has not begun developing any road funding recommendations. Its next meeting won’t be until after the November election.