Washington Pay-By-Mile Pilot Program Approval Expected

SEATTLE — The Washington State Transportation Commission is expected to approve a pilot project designed to charge drivers for every mile they travel on public roads.

A Road Usage Charge would eventually replace the gas tax in Washington State, which has brought in less revenue with more hybrid and electric vehicles using less gas. A GPS device would track miles driven and charge accordingly. Testing would begin in 2016.

The state legislature will be asked in January to give final approval for the test project. A GPS requirement wouldn’t happen until at least 2017. It is modeled after a similar pilot project happening in Oregon.

Lawmakers had asked the state’s Transportation Commission to come up with a new funding system to pay for roads. Historically the state has relied on gas tax revenue to pay for most road maintenance projects.

“Our gas tax as a revenue source is… running out of gas, basically,” said commission member Charles Royer, who said the move to more fuel efficient cars has made the gas tax unsustainable over the long term.

Royer, a former Seattle mayor, said drivers would need to be given choices how the state would monitor their mileage if lawmakers take action.

Under the latest proposal, drivers would be able to choose from four options: an “all you can drive” flat fee, report their odometer readings to the state, have a GPS locator installed in the car or they can download a smartphone application.

If Washington drivers are charged a “road usage” fee, they would get credited for any gas taxes paid.

Royer said the state is not interested in tracking where drivers are going, only how many miles they are driving on public roads. The commission says non-GPS based systems are also being tested to address privacy concerns.

If lawmakers approve the changeover, testing under a pilot program would begin in 2016. Full implementation would not begin until 2018.

Source: King5