California Eyes Road Repair Fees as Gas Tax Receipts Ebb

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California Governor Jerry Brown is preparing bills aimed at helping the state pay for a $59 billion backlog of road and bridge repairs as he also seeks to curb gasoline consumption that traditionally pays for road construction.

The legislation, part of a package of budget bills Brown must submit by Feb. 1, would allow local transportation agencies to expand carpool lanes to drivers willing to pay a toll. The package also would start a pilot program to test whether charging a fee based on miles driven works better than the current excise tax on fuel to pay for road work, according budget documents released earlier this month.