Senators Kelly and Lummis Introduce Bill to Study Highway Use for First Time in Nearly 25 Years

U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) have introduced a bipartisan bill to study changes in highway use for the first time since 1997 to ensure that future investments in federal highways provide for the infrastructure needed to continue growing the economy. The Highway Cost Allocation Act of 2021 would require the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to conduct a study of vehicular highway use. This information would inform decisions to address the Highway Trust Fund’s revenue shortfalls during its next reauthorization cycle. 

The steep drop in traffic volumes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had hastened the rate at which the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is becoming insolvent. As the nation recovers from this public health and economic crisis, this data will be critical to inform long-term investments.

“As an engineer and astronaut, my career has taught me about the importance of having the data to tackle a complex issue. I’m working with Senator Lummis to get the facts about our highways to make sure we continue making the investments needed to grow our economy in Arizona and across the U.S.,” said Senator Kelly.

“This study is long overdue, and we in the west recognize this in particular. This isn’t a partisan issue, and I’m proud to be working with Senator Mark Kelly to look at how our highway system’s use has changed in the last 24 years. Today we have over 50 million more vehicles on the road than we did in 1997, and it’s important that we understand how this change is impacting our highway system so we can know how best to fund the system going into the next quarter century,” said Senator Lummis.

To read the bill text, click here.