Study: Austin drivers to pay-by-mile using GPS tracking system

Here it is... the ultimate toll road. GPS logs your miles and bills you a use tax each month. Brilliant! But wait it gets better. You'll actually be tracked everywhere you go, not just if you choose to take a toll road! Wonderful!

Several states.... are studying whether to scrap the gas tax and replace it with pay-by-the-mile user fees, effectively turning the road network into another public utility.

Oregon is finishing a fascinating yearlong study with 280 volunteers who equipped their cars with Global Positioning System tracking devices.

Every time they filled up at two specially equipped stations, per-mile user fees were added -- and the gas tax deducted -- right on the receipt.

A similar $16.5 million study of 2,700 drivers in Austin, Baltimore, Boise, San Diego, eastern Iowa and North Carolina's Research Triangle is set to begin next year.

Motorists will continue to pay gas taxes, but researchers at the University of Iowa will gauge driver responses to a monthly invoice -- not much different than a cellphone bill -- detailing actual miles driven and what they might have paid in per-mile fees.

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Texas $8.5 billion budget surplus... but no money for roads?

No money for roads?

Texas collected $1.5 billion more than projected

Texas Legislature needs to budget this money to the most important needs just like every citizen and business must do. We all have limited funds and we make due by prioritizing and cutting waste in our spending.

Transportation is at the top of the list when it comes to running a productive modern society.

TxDOT and our elected REPs are flat out lying when they say there's no money.

They refuse to cut expenses in unecessary areas and re-direct money meant for roads so they can in turn say there is no money for roads.

THERE"S A SURPLUS FOLKS.... BUDGET ACCORDING TO IMPORTANCE.

State surplus grows by $1.5 billion Austin American-Statesman
State has extra $1.5 billion leftover from last year's budget Houston Chronicle
Texas collected $1.5 billion more than projected KVUE

Austin Phase 2 Toll Roads Approved

We all saw this coming years ago. Last night CAMPO voted YES to shift $910 million of our tax dollars (meant for for freeways) to build toll roads.

Voters, take note and support these folks -
Who didn't vote for these toll roads?
Nineteen members are on CAMPO's Transportation Policy Board. Each road was voted on separately. Austin City Councilwoman Jennifer Kim, Hays County Judge Liz Sumter, Sunset Valley Council Member Jeff Mills and Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, were the only four members of the board to vote against every toll road proposal.

CAMPO: Let the Contracting Begin

Plan's approval creates 5 toll roads

After Meeting Their Opposition CAMPO Approves More Toll Roads