Infrastructure Bill Features Per-Mile User Fee Pilot Program
August 16, 2021 | District of Columbia
The recently passed U.S. Senate infrastructure bill includes controversial provisions such as a vehicle per-mile user fee pilot program as the bill faces uncertainty in the U.S. House.
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which includes $550 billion of new spending, passed in the Senate on Tuesday by a 69-30 vote. The bill authorizes spending for improvements to roads, bridges, rail, transit and broadband, among other forms of infrastructure.
Within the nearly 2,700-page bill are details for a pilot program for a vehicle per-mile user fee. The idea of a per-mile user fee for vehicles was entertained earlier this year by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Buttigieg said during an interview with CNBC in March the proposal for a per-mile user fee was one the administration was looking into and had shown “a lot of promise.” After the backlash, he reversed his stance few days later when speaking with CNN.
“That’s not part of the conversation about this infrastructure bill, so just want to make sure that’s really clear,” Buttigieg said.
Despite his assurances the proposal would not be in the bill, a pilot program did appear in the recently passed legislation… (Excerpts from the Virginia Star)
