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“So,” Horsley said, “the question during a TRB presentation. to also impose registration fees.
is what alternatives are out there that The creation of the “Better Roads” Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.)
enable us to sustain the solvency of program in the aftermath of the col- recently proposed raising the state’s
the Highway Trust Fund and pass in a lapse was based on the same type of income tax while slashing the sales tax
Republican House? That’s the big chal- risk-management approach that is and dedicating its revenue to school
lenge. major part of the new highway funding buildings, transportation and public
“We have hit a ‘fiscal cliff’ in law, he said. infrastructure.
transportation,” said Horsley. The Better Roads program was Peter Stephanos, director of
American Trucking Associations recently awarded a 2013 Global FHWA’s Office of Performance
(ATA) spokesman Sean McNally said Roads Achievement Award from the Management, cited programs like Better
that ATA will examine AASHTO’s plan International Road Foundation. Roads as the model for asset-manage-
during the study ATA is conducting of “The biggest trick is understand- ment requirements. He said a rulemak-
new revenue possibilities. ing the trade-off between the amount ing on freight performance standards
“However, given the general antipa- of funding and maintenance options for states is likely to be issued in the
thy in Congress to new taxes, along available,” Barnes said. middle of 2014, following the release of
with the long tradition of financing other highway safety measures.
the Highway Trust Fund with user fees oTHEr IdEaS The target date for implementation
like the fuel tax, this proposal certainly Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) pro- of all performance standards is spring
seems like it would have long odds at posed in his State of the State address 2015, and states will be required to
becoming law,” McNally said. that Michigan eliminate its 19-cent per- provide updates on how they are con-
Horsley said AASHTO’s plan has a gallon tax on gasoline and its 15-cent tinuing to address congestion at freight
good chance of passing because it would per-gallon tax on diesel fuel, and bottlenecks.
eliminate a tax. replace it with a wholesale tax on oil, Wlaschin said these updates can
Searching for resolutions to billion increasing registration fees on cars and help states more quickly pinpoint when
dollar funding deficits has prompted trucks and allowing localities or regions 
conferences, think-tanks and pilot pro-
grams.
The discussion at the recent TRB
annual conference was fueled by a
requirement in the new highway fund-
ing law, signed by President Obama in
July, that every state develops risk-based,
asset management transportation plans. Tractor-trailer financing for
Butch Wlaschin, director of the
Federal Highway Administration’s Arkansas transportation companies
Office of Asset Management encourages
state and local transportation officials
to “move away from the ‘build it now’ Wells Fargo Equipment Finance offers:
mentality.” • Term loans and a variety of lease options
Speaking at the TRB conference, • Trailers available for lease directly from
Wlaschin said states should think about Wells Fargo
actual “life-cycle costs,” rather than • Competitive rates and structures
how costly the project was to construct • Attentive, professional service
and open.
“We have to get away from a big
ribbon-cutting event and then think
everything will be fine for years,” Ready to learn more? Call or email today.
Wlaschin said. Dave Modde • 1-800-670-0408 ext. 18 • david.p.modde@wellsfargo.com
The I-35 bridge collapse that killed
13 people and injured dozens more in
August 2007 in Minneapolis forever wellsfargo.com/trucks
changed funding decisions, Michael © 2012 Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc. All applications
Barnes, director of operations at the subject to credit approval. All rights reserved. MC-4044
state’s transportation department said

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