The Washington State Transportation Commission will take action next week on policy recommendations to the Legislature on whether the state should consider implementing a road usage charge system as a possible replacement to the state’s gas tax to fund roads and bridges.
An RUC is a per-mile charge drivers would pay for the use of roads, as opposed to paying by the gallon of gas. Because gasoline is taxed by the gallon, as vehicles become more fuel-efficient or switch to electric power, gas tax revenue is expected to decline by as much as 45 percent by 2035.
In 2012, the Legislature directed the commission to assess the potential of a usage charge to replace the gas tax.
The final report, to be submitted to lawmakers in January, will detail the results of a 7-year-long assessment of road usage charging and a pilot project that involved more than 2,000 drivers statewide in a live test of the RUC.
The commission is scheduled to take final action on policy recommendations on Tuesday afternoon. (Washington Transportation Commission)
