The Janesville City Council is considering implementing a transportation utility fee to help pay for street rehabilitation.

The city hired a consultant from Ehlers Public Finance Advisors to conduct a feasibility study for the proposal, which could replace or supplement the existing wheel tax.

Janesville is seeing an eight percent annual inflation on the cost of street repairs and has had to take on more debt to pay for the 6-to-12 miles it fixes each year.

The utility would work similarly to a water bill, charging each property based on its estimated number of vehicle trips determined by land use and zoning.

The feasibility study proposed different ratios of debt service and utility fee rates, which found that a transportation utility with no wheel tax and no added debt from the city would cost the least amount by 2030 for single-family households.

Only a few other cities in Wisconsin have this type of utility but many others are exploring similar options.