Kansas T-Link

What's a highway
The Mercury

So much discussion and data go into the development of a state transportation program that it's something of a miracle that highways even get built.

Then again, the whole issue boils down to determining how badly Kansans want safe highways and bridges and how much — and in what form — they're willing to pay for them.

That's what a committee holding meetings across the state is trying to find out. Matters get complicated quickly, however, because of the amount of money involved — billions of dollars — and the reality that this program could address a decade's worth of improvements.

Toss in the reality that every local government has pet projects — Riley and Pottawatomie counties certainly have priorities — and the governor and Legislature will have their hands full trying to keep the folks back home happy while doing what's best for the entire state.

Accomplishing that in an economy that has been faltering even before the federal government began bailing out or writing off investment banks might be too much to hope for. Nevertheless, Kansas Transportation Secretary Deb Miller hopes her planning committee can compile a set of recommendations for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius by the end of the year.

Secretary Miller recognizes that paying for a comprehensive program, which also will include multiple forms of rapid transit, is perhaps the biggest challenge. Among possibilities are public-private partnerships, more toll roads, the present tax on gasoline and diesel fuel and what is known as a mileage tax.

The latter has some merit; there is logic in charging people only for the miles they drive. But for every problem that method solves, it creates others. Not the least of these are legitimate privacy concerns, particularly if individual mileage is tracked through GPS devices or regular mileage checks, as has been considered.

Perhaps, as Secretary Miller said, the gas tax will become a less reliable revenue source as improvements in mileage lead to cutbacks in gas purchases and as people scale back their driving in response to higher fuel prices. The roughly $21 a month that Secretary Miller said individuals in Kansas pay in state and federal gas tax seems more than reasonable for the quality of roads we get in return. In fact, it seems reasonable enough that raising it a modest amount would be among the most attractive funding options.

To her credit, Secretary Miller encourages all Kansans — not just committee members or people well versed in transportation issues — to weigh in on what they consider priorities for the state and their communities and on funding ideas. One way to do that is by visiting the Web site www.kansastlink.com.

It's a useful and educational Web site, and it just might make a difference in what we end up getting for our money.