Someday Soon You'll Pay for Every Mile You Drive

If you're the type who takes a while to warm up to new things, you might want to start getting used to the idea of paying for every mile you drive. Right now, whether you realize it or not, you pay for roads every time you stop at the pump, via the gasoline tax. But that tax is failing miserably, from a combination of fuel-efficient cars and rising construction costs, and many experts think it will be replaced with a mileage-based fee in due time.

At the moment, Oregon is the only state to have implemented a mileage fee — often called a vehicle-miles traveled fee — but others are considering the plan. A couple weeks ago Florida Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad told some state leaders the days of the gas tax may be coming to an end. He said a shift to a VMT fee could occur within the next 10 to 15 years.