The Idaho Senate has killed a roughly 320 million dollar transportation funding plan, effectively squashing hope of passing any significant funding proposal to repair the state’s roads and bridges before the end of the session.
Senators have been considering transportation proposals for the past few weeks with varying degrees of support. Ultimately, lawmakers on Wednesday said they would not back a plan that primarily used bonds to pay for new road projects and repay it with future federal highway payments.
Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill says the Senate’s 15-20 vote signaled that lawmakers will likely only allocate a small amount of new transportation funding before adjourning for the year.
Idaho uses fuels taxes, registration fees, and other sources to pay for its state and local roads and bridges. However, that system has left the state with an annual 262 million dollar transportation deficit. (AP)
