JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri House has defeated a proposal to allow voters to decide in 2018 whether to raise gas taxes by nearly 6 cents per gallon to fund improvements to thousands of miles of state highways and hundreds of bridges.

Legislators struck down the proposal 51-103 on Wednesday. Supporters say it would have put to voters a ballot initiative to help mitigate the effects of aging roadways throughout the state.

Missouri has the seventh largest road system in the country but ranks 47th in revenue per mile. Lawmakers have long floated proposals to generate more revenue for roads and bridges, but so far none have stuck.

The proposed fuel tax increase was an amendment to a bill that taxes propane used for vehicles. That bill was given initial approval Wednesday.