Population Count Will Inform How and Where Billions of Dollars Will Be Spent for the Next Decade
How Census Statistics Support Road Planning and Funding
In addition to federal programs, Census Bureau population statistics also inform how states spend their own funds on transportation infrastructure.
Many states rely on population numbers from the census taken once every 10 years to allocate revenue from gasoline sales taxes, one of the primary sources of funding for local roads. In Utah, for example, allocation of gas tax revenue is based on a weighted formula based on two figures: 50% population size, 50% on the miles of road in the area.
“Because 50% is based on population and we’re using census numbers, any undercount would have a big impact,” Curtis said.
To support transportation planning at the state and local levels, the Census Bureau tabulates data from its American Community Survey, an ongoing nationwide survey of a small percentage of the population, for use by the Census Transportation Planning Products (CTPP) program. The CTPP is a cooperative initiative funded by state transportation departments.
CTPP data sets provide both state transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations information about daily commutes, vehicle availability, and other demographics that can inform what transportation infrastructure is needed and where.
The Highway Planning and Construction program helps states plan, build, improve, and maintain their portions of the National Highway System, while funds from Community Development Block Grants are used by communities to build and repair streets, bridges, and alleys.
Many states rely on population numbers from the census taken once every 10 years to allocate revenue from gasoline sales taxes, one of the primary sources of funding for local roads.
Follow the Funding
Every year, the Census Bureau’s Survey of State and Local Government Finances polls a sample of state, county, and local governments across the country to see how much money they are taking in and how they are spending it.
Every five years, the Census of Governments collects the same information for every government in the country.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, most of the public roads in the United States are owned and maintained by county governments.
“The city I grew up in had its own road maintenance department, and my mother was the mayor,” Owens said. “People would call about why their road wasn’t plowed, and that was because it wasn’t a city street.”
The Census Bureau tracks, for example, how much your government is spending on highways, Owens said, along with spending on airports, seaports, parking facilities, and public transit.
In one recent example, Owens said, the Congressional Budget Office used its statistics to determine how Federal Highway Administration funds were being used.
“We do track what comes into states as far as federal highway funding goes,” he said. “You do see the revenue going in and you can see the highway expenditure going out and can say, ‘Does this make sense?’”
Highway Costs Driven by Many Factors
The Census of Governments helps planners track how environmental, cultural, and economic conditions are affecting local and state costs related to roads, highways, and bridges.
In 2013, for example, local-level highway spending nationwide rose only 3%. However, a record snowstorm in Massachusetts drove a 25.1% increase in local-level highway spending in the Boston area and the oil boom in North Dakota sparked a 42.8% surge in the same category.
Utah needs all the money for infrastructure it can get because of a growing economy and population, Curtis said.
“The majority of our population is living in a very small portion of our state,” he said. “But then we have a lot of destinations and small rural towns scattered throughout the state, so we have a pretty large network of roads. In order to be able to maintain those in good repair, it’s definitely critical that we have accurate data and understand where people live and make sure those funds are distributed accordingly.”