Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 02:10 PM
Original source
CBO Publications
MacroLab briefing generated by AI for informational purposes. Original reporting by CBO Publications. Not financial advice.
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The federal Highway Trust Fund, which pays for road and bridge repairs across the country, is running out of money and will need Congress to act soon. Chad Shirley, a budget analyst at the Congressional Budget Office, presented this problem at a conference in 2026. The fund gets its money primarily from the federal gas tax, a small tax added to every gallon of gasoline people buy. Because cars have become more fuel efficient and people are driving less, the fund collects less money each year than it spends on highway projects. Without congressional action, the fund will not have enough cash to pay for scheduled repairs and maintenance.
When the Highway Trust Fund runs low, Congress has to either find new money or cut back on road projects. Either way, it affects your wallet and your commute. If Congress raises the gas tax to refill the fund, you pay more at the pump. If Congress cuts spending instead, roads and bridges get repaired more slowly, which means more potholes, worse traffic, and higher costs for businesses that ship goods by truck (costs they often pass on to customers). Poor road conditions also mean more accidents and higher wear and tear on your car. Additionally, delays in infrastructure work can slow economic growth and job creation in construction.
Watch whether Congress proposes new ways to fund highways, such as raising the gas tax, creating a mileage-based fee (charging drivers per mile instead of per gallon), or shifting money from other budget areas. Pay attention to how quickly Congress acts as the fund's deadline approaches. If Congress waits until the last minute or deadlocks, highway projects could get delayed or halted, which would quickly show up as worse road conditions and construction slowdowns in your area. Also notice whether fuel efficiency keeps improving, because the more efficient cars become, the worse the Highway Trust Fund's money problem gets.