Predictably, Norman Bryce critiqued Jim Greene for failing to mention the amount of road tax each bicyclist pays for the roads he uses, calling it an oversight to be corrected soon (“Mind the road tax,” The Tribune, Feb. 26).
I’m happy to oblige.
Payment for construction and maintenance of local roads comes overwhelmingly — nearly 90 percent — from general taxation, not motorists’ user fees (fuel and vehicle taxes). Cars create far greater wear and tear on roads than do bicycles. Exacerbating the discrepancy, additional external costs (e.g., for parking, crashes, etc.) are 28-fold higher per mile for cars than for bicycles.
So, other things being equal, bicyclists often pay more than their fair share of road taxes, whereas motorists pay less.
The average driver costs the public $3,360 more annually than they contribute; an exclusive cyclist saves the public $264. And that’s not even counting additional benefits, such as reduced pollution and heath care costs.
Cycling benefits us all.
Citizens, particularly legislators, should recognize this reality and utilize the facts effectively.
And if motorists are genuinely in favor of equitable pay-per-use, they can donate additional taxes to compensate for their relatively free ride.
Paid for in part by bicyclists.
Gregory A. Clark, Salt Lake City