FHWA Awards More Than $10 Million to Seven States to Test New Ways to Fund Highways
WASHINGTON — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced $10.2 million in Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives (STSFA) grants to seven states to test new ways to finance highway and bridge projects. The program’s goal is to allow states to test user-based alternatives to support the Highway Trust Fund, which relies primarily on the federal gas tax.
“These grants provide states with the opportunity to explore innovative new ways to help pay for infrastructure improvements and maintenance,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson.
The STSFA grants fund projects to test the design, implementation, and acceptance of user-based alternative revenue tools. FHWA officials selected proposals from seven states – California, Delaware, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Utah.
The seven projects will investigate and evaluate various mileage-based and road-user charges, including for trucks and automated vehicles, and the implementation and operation of the technologies at a regional level.
STSFA was established under the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation” (FAST) Act.
FY 2018 STSFA Grant Selections
| State (other partners) |
Project/Description | Funding |
| California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) | Exploration of California’s Road Usage Charge Program (RUC) with emerging technologies and services, such as Usage-Based Insurance (UBI), Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), and Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). | $2,030,000 |
| Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) – I-95 Corridor Coalition | Use of mileage-based user fees in a multi-state region. The project addresses the requirements for implementation, interoperability, public acceptance, and other potential hurdles across state lines. | $3,028,000 |
| Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) | Demonstration of the feasibility of distance based user fees through the shared mobility model, such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) providers. | $999,600 |
| Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) | Deployment of innovative strategies such as a vehicle registration fee along with other used-based charges. | $1,782,500 |
| New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) | Exploration of road user charges levied in conjunction with vehicle registration fees. | $250,000 |
| Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) – Western Road User Charge Consortium (AZ, CA, CO, ID, HI, MT, NV, OK, OR, UT, and WA) | Exploration of Road Usage Charge and Automated Vehicles at both the state level and in a regional interoperable system. | $950,000 |
| Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) | Utah will pilot a road user charge program for alternative fuel vehicles including hybrid and electric vehicles. | $1,250,000 |
