AR184

An Assembly Resolution urging Congress to remove the prohibition on tolling Interstate highways and at State borders.

Whereas, Since the enactment of the “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956,” which created the National Interstate and Defense Highways system, the federal government has prohibited tolling on Interstate highways; and

Whereas, The “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956” created the federal Highway Trust Fund, which is supported by a dedicated federal motor fuels tax, to finance the construction and maintenance of the Interstate highway system and rejected the use of tolls to fund the Highway Trust Fund; and

Whereas, Recently, revenue growth from the federal motor fuels tax has declined amid changes in the driving behaviors of Americans, a shift to more fuel-efficient cars, and declining motor vehicle sales; and

Whereas, As a result of decreasing revenue, the federal Highway Trust Fund, which also partially funds many state transportation projects, has become inadequate to maintain the current levels of federal funding to states for highway or other transportation projects; and

Whereas, Although the “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956” provides an exemption to the tolling prohibition for highways with existing toll facilities that allows New Jersey to collect tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, the State is prohibited from tolling other Interstate highways within the State; and

Whereas, In July 2012, with the enactment of the federal “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21), tolling eligibility for Interstate highways was expanded to allow tolling on newly constructed lanes on existing toll-free Interstate highways and tolling on newly constructed highways, bridges, and tunnels within the Interstate highway system; and

Whereas, Expanding on MAP-21, in April 2014, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) proposed that Congress allow states to implement tolling on all Interstate highways to provide more flexibility to states for funding transportation projects; and

Whereas, While MAP-21 and the USDOT proposal reflect the growing need for new sources of revenue to fund transportation projects, Congress should also consider allowing states additional options for revenue collection, including collecting tolls at State borders; and

Whereas, The added flexibility of collecting revenue at the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Interstate 78 and Interstate 80, for example, would increase the revenue available to the State for transportation projects and help to mitigate the impact of the chronic underfunding of the federal Highway Trust Fund; and

Whereas, It is in the best interest of the citizens of this State for this House to urge Congress to remove the prohibition on tolling on Interstate highways and at State borders; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House urges the United States Congress to remove the prohibition on tolling on Interstate highways and at State borders.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges Congress to remove the prohibition on tolling Interstate highways and at State borders.

Since the enactment of the “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956,” the federal government has prohibited tolling on Interstate highways. The “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956” created the federal Highway Trust Fund, which is supported by a dedicated federal motor fuels tax, to finance the construction and maintenance of the Interstate highway system. Recently, revenue growth from the federal motor fuels tax has declined amid changes in the driving behaviors of Americans. As a result of decreasing revenue, the federal Highway Trust Fund has become inadequate to maintain the current levels of federal funding to states for highway or other transportation projects.

The “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956” provides an exemption to the tolling prohibition for highways with existing toll facilities that allows New Jersey to collect tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike. However, the State is prohibited from tolling other Interstate highways within the State.

The recent enactment of the federal “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21) expanded tolling eligibility for Interstate highways to allow tolling on newly constructed lanes on existing toll-free Interstate highways and tolling on newly constructed highways, bridges, and tunnels within the Interstate highway system. Expanding on MAP-21, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) proposed that Congress allow states to implement tolling on all Interstate highways to provide more flexibility to states for transportation projects. While MAP-21 and the USDOT proposal reflect the growing need for new sources of revenue for transportation projects, Congress should also consider allowing states additional options for revenue collection, including collecting tolls at State borders. The added flexibility of collecting revenue at the State’s borders would increase the revenue available to the State for transportation projects and help to mitigate the impact of the chronic underfunding of the federal Highway Trust Fund.