The problem is nobody will vote for an increase in the excise tax applied at refineries. This is by far the most efficient point of collection, costing less than 1 cent on the dollar (9/10 to be exact) to collect.
By comparison, other taxes such as VMT cost as much as 25 cents of every dollar at the government end and more costs to the private sector.
If nobody in Congress is willing to raise the excise tax, then states have to resort to other means to fix roads that are getting old. Much of the opposition to the excise tax increase is from the GOP.
Take the money from the High Speed Rail, defund Calaid for Illegals, etc. and there will be plenty of money for roads.
Government is mostly a jobs program for Democrats. The only efficiency they want is buying the cheapest voter.