Policy Forum 

# The Future of Federal Highway Finance: Diversions, Deficits, or Devolution? 

##### Watch the Event 

[![QuickTime](/weekly/quicktime.gif)](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2012/cpf-05-17-12-1.mp4)[Watch the Event in QuickTime (M4V)](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2012/cpf-05-17-12-1.mp4) 
[![ipod](/images/icons/ipod.jpg)](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2012/cpfa-05-17-12-1.mp3)[Download a Podcast of the Event (MP3)](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2012/cpfa-05-17-12-1.mp3) 

Join the conversation on X using [\#CatoEvents](https://x.com/hashtag/CatoEvents). Follow [@CatoInstitute](https://x.com/catoinstitute) on X to get future event updates, live streams, and videos from the Cato Institute.

Date and Time 

May 17, 2012 12 - 1 PM EDT 

Location 

Hayek Auditorium 

Share This Event 

##### Featuring 

Featuring **Randal O’Toole**, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute; **Adrian Moore**, Vice President of Policy, Reason Foundation; and **Ron Utt**, Adjunct Fellow, Maryland Public Policy Institute; moderated by **Michael Tanner**, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute. 

Amidst congressional debate over the future of federal surface transportation funding, one fact stands out: the gasoline tax is increasingly less viable as a source of highway user fees. Inflation, increasing fuel economy, and electric cars have eroded the amount drivers pay per mile by two-thirds since 1956, when Congress created the Interstate Highway System. What are the alternatives? What *is* the future of highway financing? Please join us to hear insights about the current funding system and what will be coming down the road.

[![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) 
This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).