1997 federal highway cost allocation study : final report

00746657380598681997PDFTech ReportCost allocationBenefit cost analysisHighway transportationHighway user taxationFederal aid highwaysImpact studiesHighway-related costsUser fee structureUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATIONNTL-FREIGHT-Freight Economics and FinanceNTL-FREIGHT-Trucking IndustryNTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-FundingFederal Highway AdministrationThis is the first Federal Highway Cost Allocation Study (HCAS) since 1982. There are two key reasons for conducting this study. The first is to determine how changes in the Federal highway program and user fees which support that program have affected the equity of Federal highway user fees. The second is to coordinate this effort with the concurrent U.S. Department of Transportation Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight (1997 U.S. DOT TS&W) Study. The 1997 U.S. DOT TS&W Study uses analytical tools developed for this HCAS in estimating impacts of TS&W scenarios on infrastructure, environmental, and other costs and in estimating changes in user fees on various vehicle classes that would reflect changes in highway program costs associated with those scenarios. The base period for this study is 1993 to 1995, which covers the most up-to-date information available on Federal highway expenditure patterns since the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) was enacted. The analysis year is 2000. A 3-year average of highway costs and revenues is used to represent the base period to reduce the effects of annual variations in costs and revenues. The report is organized as follows: Executive Summary; (I) Study Background, Objectives, Scope, and Approach; (II) Trends and Forecasts of Highway Use; (III) Trends and Forecasts of Highway Costs; (IV) Trends and Forecasts of Highway User Revenues; (V) Highway Cost Responsibility; (VI) Equity and Efficiency of Highway User Fees; and (VII) Study Conclusions