City explores new program that increases funding for road maintenance and improvements.
Due to more fuel efficient cars, the current gas tax cannot meet California’s current and long-term transportation funding. The City of Sacramento is encouraging residents to sign up for the Road Charge Pilot, a program created to explore alternative funding options.
The pilot project allows drivers to pay for maintenance and upkeep of the State’s roadway network based on how much they drive. By signing up, participants will choose from several options to report their mileage at no charge.
The statewide pilot program was developed through a robust yearlong stakeholder engagement process by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The City’s Fleet Management Department will be participating in the pilot effort.
The free pilot will give participants a variety of choices for reporting the miles they travel, as well as a choice for submitting their road charge payments. Volunteer participation is cost-free and all personal information is confidential.
The Road Charge will sustain revenues that preserve and maintain existing road infrastructure, reduce congestion, and improve service.
Launching in summer 2016, the Road Charge Pilot will last for nine months. As the pilot ends, an independent third party will evaluate the pilot results, and CalSTA will submit a report to the Legislature, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) and the TAC by July 2017. The Legislature will then make the final decision on whether and how to enact a full-scale permanent road charge program.
You can learn more or sign up for the free pilot study by visiting the Road Charge webpage.