Gas tax increase wouldn’t cover all road needs in most Des Moines suburbs

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A proposed 10-cent gasoline tax increase would more than cover Des Moines’ projected road-maintenance needs, but would leave several suburbs with an annual shortfall, the Iowa Department of Transportation reports.

 

The DOT released statewide data that shows 13 of the 17 Des Moines area cities would need more cash for road maintenance than they would get from the gas tax, even after the increase. The analysis made some assumptions that are unlikely to be accurate if a bill passes and is signed into law. For example, the calculations assume that the entire tax increase would come all at once rather than be phased in over several years.

 

Des Moines sits in relative pothole paradise in the calculations, with a projected $3.7 million in receipts from the tax increase, way more than the $948,182 in projected needs. Johnston, on the other hand, comes up well short, with $311,004 from the tax and $1.8 million in needs.

 

Projected to come up short: Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Cumming,  Johnston, Mitchellville, Norwalk, Polk City, Urbandale, Waukee  and West Des Moines.

 

Expected to take in more than needed: Des Moines, Grimes, Pleasant Hill and Windsor Heights.