Funding and Finance

Budgeting and Appropriations

Annual budget; fiscal year begins July 1. The governor outlines priorities in an annual recommended budget, which must be approved by the General Assembly.

Bonding or Pay-as-You-Go

Combination of bonding and pay-as-you-go financing

State-Level Funding Provided for DOT Budgets

FY 2011 (approved): $485.9 million
FY 2010: $416.8 million
FY 2009: $621.2 million
FY 2008: $606.9 million

Allocation of Federal Transportation Funds to the DOT

Federal transportation funds are allocated through state legislative approval of DelDOT's Capital Transportation Plan and operating budget.

Allocation of State Transportation Funds to the DOT

State transportation funds are allocated through state legislative approval of DelDOT's Capital Transportation Plan and operating budget.

Traditional State Funding and Finance for Highways

Fuel taxes; vehicle registration/license/title fees; tolls; interest income; general obligation bonds; revenue bonds.

State Funding and Finance for Other Modes

Transit, rail and bridges: Funded by the same revenue sources as highways through the Transportation Trust Fund.

Innovative Transportation Funding and Finance

GARVEE bonds (authorized by Vol. 77 Del. Laws, Chap. 223); Build America Bonds; state infrastructure bank (federally capitalized); PPPs (authorized in statute with legislative approval requirements); design-build (authorized in statute); traffic camera fees.

Dedicated/Restricted State Funds and Revenues

The state's multimodal Transportation Trust Fund is fed primarily by tolls, motor fuel taxes, DMV fees and fare revenues. State statute requires certain revenues to go solely to this fund. The transfer of motor fuel tax revenues or motor carrier registration fees to the general fund is prohibited (Del. Code Ann. tit. 2, §1415 and §1416). The state Community Transportation Fund is set aside for legislators to allocate to transportation-related projects in their districts.

DOT Authorized to Retain Surplus Funds

Yes. DelDOT can rollover any excess funds to the next fiscal year with approval of the Capital Transportation Plan (CTP).

Legislative Approval Required to Move Funds Between Projects

Yes, through a mini-bond bill session. Once changes are approved by the Bond Bill Committee, they go to the full legislative body for approval.

Transportation Funding Allocations through Local Aid

The General Assembly appropriates funds to local governmental entities. DelDOT also allocates certain funds by formula. Municipal Street Aid is allocated to municipalities by a statutory formula based on population and road mileage (Del. Code Ann. tit. 30, §§5161 et seq.).