Proposed: major road-repair bill, California

The Mercury News/California/Kathy Murphy, 3/29/17. "Pothole relief? California lawmakers reach deal to pay for road fixes."

 Could be Linda Mar Boulevard
east, ... on a really a bad day.

Good news, help to fix potholes is on it's
way.  Bad news, it's going to cost plenty.

....  The unveiling of the agreement — to raise $5 billion annually through a 12-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase plus new vehicle registration fees — follows years of debate over how to pay to fix the ever-growing number of chewed-up streets and crumbling bridges. The cost of repairs has ballooned to $59 billion for state highways and $78 billion for local roads, estimates Sen. Jim Beall — a San Jose Democrat who is carrying a bill to raise $5.6 billion per year for road fixes.
.... ... If it passes, California will join a growing number of states, including Colorado, Washington and Virginia, that have levied fees on electric cars. That fee wouldn’t kick in until 2020. California has not raised its gas tax in 23 years, according to the governor’s office, and proponents say the shortfall is obvious to anyone who drives in the state.
 
The state administration and the Legislature have set a deadline of April 6 for approving the transportation deal, before the Legislature adjourns for a week-long spring recess — and before state budget negotiations consume the Capitol. Assemblyman Beall said it will be heard by the Senate Appropriations committee on Monday (4/3/17)."  Read article. 

Reference.  Bottom of the above article, from Governor Brown's Office:

---

HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE RAISED $24.4 billion by increasing gasoline excise tax 12 cents
$200 million from an annual $100 “zero emisson vehicle fee” beginning in 2020
$7.3 billion by increasing diesel excise tax by 20 cents
$3.5 billion by increasing diesel sales tax to 5.75 percent
$16.3 billion from an annual “transportation improvement fee” based on a vehicle’s value
$706 million in General Fund loan repayments.

HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE SPENT LOCALLY
$15 billion in “Fix-It-First” local road repairs such as fixing potholes
$7.5 billion to improve local public transportation
$2 billion to support local “self-help” communities that are making their own investments in transportation improvements
$1 billion to improve infrastructure that promotes walking and bicycling
$825 million for the State Transportation Improvement Program local contribution
$250 million in local transportation planning grants

HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE SPENT STATEWIDE
$15 billion in “Fix-it-First” highway repairs, including smoother pavement
$4 billion in bridge and culvert repairs
$3 billion to improve trade corridors
$2.5 billion to reduce congestion on major commute corridors
$1.4 billion in other transportation investments, including $275 million for highway and intercity-transit improvements.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Related, City.  City of Pacifica/Public Works/streets division/potholes.  Article, Bay Area. The Mercury News/Transportation/Gary Richards, 1/24/17, "Bay Area rains bring a bumper crop of BIG potholes." "The Bay Area’s long drought is thankfully over, but now a suspension-rattling pain has arrived in full force — hundreds, perhaps thousands of potholes after weeks of almost constant downpours. Officials say this could be an unprecedented worsening of the already-crumbling roadways. And unlucky drivers could pay a jolting price."     Note photographs.  Potholes:  wheel by Nick De La Torre from  Houston Chronicle/Jessica Hamilton, 1/19/16,"Houston's most pothole-ridden street";  road by Alamy from Daily Mail/Ray Massey, Transportation Editor, 3/29/17, "...appalling state of Britain's roads.." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh