Road Funding By Taxes, Tolls, and Fees, Broken Down by State

An article by Morgan Scarboro and Joseph Henchman digs into the funding mechanisms for roads in all 50 states.

Gas taxes are typically used to fund infrastructure maintenance and new projects, but the share of state and local road spending that is covered by tolls, user fees, and taxes varies drastically. It ranges from only 12 percent in Alaska to 76.3 percent in Hawaii. States like Alaska and North Dakota (funded 22.8 percent by fees and taxes) keep their transportation taxes low in the same way that they keep all taxes on state residents low, by exporting taxes (primarily through the severance tax).

The article also includes an infographic that illustrates the shortcomings of state and local tolls, user fees, and user taxes in covering the costs of state and local roads.