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Task force proposes gas tax increase to help fund long-term road, bridge repairs

You could pay as much as $13 a month more for gas
Posted at 10:06 PM, Dec 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-20 14:07:30-05

INDIANAPOLIS -- The price you pay at the pump could go up by as much as $13 per month - if a proposal to fund long-term road and bridge repairs is passed next month. 

It’s just one of several recommendations made in a final report from the state's road funding task force.

One of the chairs of that task force estimates that the state will need between $900 million and $1.2 billion dollars per year over the next 20 years to repair Indiana’s roads.

To pay for long-term fixes, the task force is recommending:

  • Immediate increases to gas, special fuel and motor carrier surcharge taxes – and annually indexing the rates of each to inflation
  • Considering user fees on electric and other alternative fuel vehicles
  • Exploring options for tolling on state highways and interstates
  • Implementing a new fee on all vehicles registered in the state

The task force will meet with state leaders next month to present their proposal and discuss their entire long-term plan.