State transportation officials characterize the 12 months since voters approved Amendment Three, the end of the gas tax diversion, as a huge success. With the money raised from the measure, MoDOT was able to bond enough to fund 2,200 miles of repaved roads, 55 accelerated projects, and 38 new major projects. But Chief Engineer Kevin Keith warns the amount of money his agency has to spend on construction will drop from $1.4-Billion a year to $800-Million by the year 2011. And, Keith says it’s not his place to tell lawmakers whether or not they should consider some kind of tax increase down the road to make up for the shortfall. He just wants to make sure they’re aware that it’s on the horizon.
