Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

Do Drivers Cover the Cost of Roads? Not By a Long Shot

This chart shows what percent of different kinds of roads is paid for by the gas tax. Image: Pew Research Center
All charts: Pew Charitable Trusts [PDF]
false

David Alpert at Greater Greater Washington shares this fantastic chart from a new study of transportation funding by the Pew Charitable Trusts [PDF]. Alpert explains:

This chart from Pew shows where the transportation money comes from; it's not all drivers.

Basically, the bluish areas are revenues which come specifically from drivers: gas taxes, vehicle taxes, and tolls. The greenish ones are other revenues: property taxes, general fund transfers, and other funds.

In this chart, you can see that the levels of government that subsidize roads the most -- state and local -- also spend more on transportation overall than the feds:

The federal government shares the costs of building and maintaining roads with state and local governments.
false

And here you can see that at all levels of government, roads get the lion's share of funds:

Elsewhere on the Network today: Human Transit compares commute times in some of the world's major cities. This Old City discusses how U.S. DOT's new guidance on protected bike lanes could improve street safety in Philadelphia. And Treehugger reports that truck sideguards -- a piece of safety equipment that can save pedestrians' and cyclists' lives -- are now required in Boston.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Westward Ho! Hochul Proposes to Extend Second Ave. Subway Along 125th Street to Broadway

The westward crosstown extension will connect what is now the Q train to seven different subway lines.

January 13, 2026

Delivery Apps Have Stolen $550M From Workers By Changing How Customers Tip: Mamdani Admin. Report

The average tip on UberEats and DoorDash is just 76¢ per delivery — compared to $2.17 on apps that offer the option to tip before checkout.

January 13, 2026

NJ Pols Want Registration Of Low-Speed E-Bikes, Despite Driver Mayhem

A restrictive e-bike registration bill is one step closer to becoming law in the Garden State.

January 13, 2026

Go ACE! Bus Stops Are Clearer Than Ever Thanks To MTA’s Bus-Mounted Camera Enforcement

Automated cameras are clearing up bus stops across the city.

January 13, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines: It’s a Tracker Edition

Check it out: We're tracking if Mayor Mamdani will delivery where Mayor Eric Adams failed. Plus other news.

January 13, 2026

BREAKING: Brooklyn Judge Dismisses Court St. Bike Lane Lawsuit

Justice Inga O'Neale dismissed the lawsuit by the Court Street Merchants Association.

January 12, 2026
See all posts