Drivers pay most of the taxes and fees that fund expansion and maintenance of our streets, highways and general transportation infrastructure. The national road network was constructed largely on the philosophy that users would pay.

And, to an extent, they do.

The gas tax is the single most important source of transportation funding for the federal government. Together, taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel raise over $30 billion per year, or 85% of the revenue flowing into the nation’s transportation spending account.

But unlike most taxes that are levied on a percentage-basis (for example, 5% of a product’s price), the gasoline tax is levied as a fixed amount per gallon—currently 18.4 cents. The current federal tax on gas is 18.4 cents per gallon (24.4 cents per gallon for diesel) with states adding in an additional 8 cents to 50.6 cents per gallon depending on where you buy your gas. 

In total, that works out to about $49 a month per U.S. household, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). That’s three times less than the average U.S. household spends each month for phone service ($154 per month).

ARTBA has created TMAW.ORG, the website for the group’s “Transportation Makes America Work!” (TMAW) advocacy communications program, features infographics that show the value of transportation infrastructure investment and its impact on health and safety, children, family budgets, American quality of life and the economy.

Today’s infographic  highlights just how little additional household investment it would take to optimize the performance of our highway and bridge network. It also illustrates the scary costs of inaction -- $80 billion a year in motor vehicle wear.

See what else we've written on transportation funding. 

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