Use of Highway Survey Planning Data in Highway Finance and Taxation

THE NEW JERSEY STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT HAS RECOGNIZED THE NEED OF USING HIGHWAY SURVEY PLANNING DATA BY ORGANIZING A DIVISION OF PLANNING AND ECONOMICS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. THE DIVISION IS COMPOSED OF: (1) THE BUREAU OF PLANNING AND ECONOMICS, AND (2) THE BUREAU OF PLANNING SURVEY. IT IS NECESSARY TO TAKE STOCK OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND TO RELATE THOSE NEEDS TO ANTICIPATED REVENUES IN ORDER TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FINANCING. IN THE PLANNING AND DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT AND LOCATION OF HIGHWAY FACILITIES IT WAS FOUND ADVISABLE TO CUT CROSS- SECTIONS ACROSS TRAFFIC SHEDS AND COMPARE THE PRESENT TRAFFIC VOLUME WITH THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC LANES PRESENTLY AVAILABLE, THUS ESTABLISHING WHETHER THERE IS A CURRENT DEFICIENCY OR ADEQUACY OF TRAFFIC CAPACITY. A NECESSARY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SET UP AN ANNUAL PROGRAM FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF WORN OUT PAVEMENTS AND OTHER PHYSICAL UNITS OF THE HIGHWAY STRUCTURE AND TO ESTABLISH A FISCAL PROGRAM FOR THE RECTIFICATION OF TRAFFIC HAZARDS ON A PRIORITY BASIS. THE USE OF HIGHWAY PLANNING DATA IS FUNDAMENTAL IN DEVELOPING THESE PROGRAMS. ANOTHER USE OF HIGHWAY PLANNING SURVEY DATA IN THE FIELD OF FINANCE AND TAXATION IS THE DETERMINATION OF AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF MOTOR-VEHICLE TAXES OVER ALL CLASSES OF VEHICLES. AN ADEQUATE HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MUST BE DEVELOPED BASED ON A SOUND FISCAL POLICY.