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High gas prices tighten MoDOT budget

September 30, 2004
By: Evan Godt
State Capital Bureau

Rising fuel costs have the Missouri Department of Transportation strapped for cash when it comes to fixing Missouri potholes. Evan Godt reports from Jefferson City.

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The Missouri Department of Transportation uses about 4,000 vehicles across the state to build and maintain roads. Fueling those vehicles is a monumental task, taking about 10 million gallons of fuel each year.

Jeff Briggs, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Transportation, explains that just a small rise in gas prices can lead to big costs.

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Contents: If gas prices have gone up fifty cents in the past year, for example, then that increase of fifty cents would cost MoDOT 5 million dollars.

The money needed to balance out these costs will come directly from the department's road preservation and maintenance budget.

From the state Capitol, I'm Evan Godt.

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You may see more potholes in the road as the Missouri Department of Transportation feels the effects of high gas prices. Evan Godt reports from Jefferson City.

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Rising gas prices have cost the Missouri Department of Transportation millions of dollars and that cost is being passed on to road maintenance.

The department uses ten million gallons of fuel each year on its thousands of vehicles. The money for the gas comes from the department's road preservation and maintenance budget.

Jeff Briggs is a spokesman for the Department of Transportation.

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Contents: Anytime you hit our budget for millions of dollars, which these fuel increases have done, it's going to make it that much more difficult to take care of the roads we have to take care of.

Briggs says that while money for regular repairs will be short, the department is not planning on canceling any major projects as a result of fuel costs.

From the state Capitol, I'm Evan Godt.

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The Missouri Department of Transportation is hoping you make the vote to soften the blow from higher gas prices. Evan Godt reports from Jefferson City.

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The Missouri Department of Transportation is looking for ways to balance out the higher costs of fuel for their vehicles.

One of the ways the department could bring in more money is with the passage of Amendment three. Currently, not all the money from gas and car taxes goes to highway expenses. Amendment three would end that diversion of highway funds.

Jeff Briggs is a spokesman for the Department of Transportation.

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Contents: Well certainly if Amendment three passes it would bring additional funding to MoDOT which certainly we could use to address a whole lot of transportation needs.

The department uses ten million gallons of gas to run their maintenance vehicles and higher prices have cost the department an extra five million dollars over the last year. Amendment three would provide an estimated 165 million to the department of transportation.

From the state Capitol, I'm Evan Godt.