Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Phase I Evaluation: Exploring a Mileage-Based User Fee in a Multi-State Region \u2013 Delaware Department of Transportation on Behalf of the Eastern Transportation Coalition

DTFH61-16-D-00053, T-0015This report presents the independent evaluation results of Exploring a Mileage-Based User Fee in a Multi-State Region \u2013 an Eastern Transportation Corridor Coalition (TETC) initiative, which was funded through Phase I of the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program. Delaware is one of eight entities to engage in pilots or pre-pilot planning and development activities to explore a variety of options to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. The U.S. Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seek to understand whether a user-fee structure, such as a road usage charge, is a viable substitute for the fuel tax and if such a structure can be implemented nationally at some time in the future. As part of this endeavor, FHWA is conducting evaluations of the eight grantee sites that received funding in Federal fiscal year 2016.The evaluation reports resulting from this process will allow the Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Congress to be aware of progress that has been made, lessons learned from initial pilot and planning efforts, the role of education and outreach, and the potential for any negative impacts on constituents and initial findings on administrative fees, among others