Last year, Ohio’s deteriorating roads cost drivers over $3.3 billion in repairs and operating costs per year, or about $412 per driver, according to a study by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Unless action is taken to reinvest in our failing infrastructure, the long-term cost to our economy and the taxpayers will be devastating.

About 80 percent of highway funding comes from the federally administered Highway Trust Fund. Funding for the Highway Trust Fund comes from several sources designed as user-fees, including fees on large vehicles and various fuels. The goal of this structure is to ensure that those who receive the benefits of the highway system are also the ones who pay to maintain it.

Currently, 32 percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and over 150,000 bridges are considered either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Not only does the state of our highway system cause traffic and maintenance problems, it creates a serious safety concern for Americans driving on our roadways. That is why I am working to provide long-term certainty and predictability to our highway funding system. 

To this end, I have been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to develop solutions within a framework that we can all agree on. Your input is very important to me. Please take a moment to answer a few questions below.