Last year Georgia got 1.2 billion dollars in federal transportation funds. But a new bill in the U.S. House would cut that funding by 34-percent.

State transportation officials traveled to Washington last week to meet with Georgia lawmakers. They are trying to plan for budget cuts that are almost certain.

Jim Cole Chairs the Georgia Department of Transportation Board’s Legislative Committee. He says traditional streams of funding, like the motor vehicle fuel tax are also declining.

“I know the climate both on the state and federal level, and we see it on TV, the budget battle is real and cuts are going to come. And, when you have a transportation budget as big as it is, you’re going to feel some of that pain.”

Cole says the state is studying alternative funding like tolls and charging people a fee based on the number of miles they drive. Funding could also come from a penny sales tax voters will consider in 2012.

Tags: Georgia Department of Transportation, funding cuts