Following a contentious debate, Montgomery County Commissioners have approved a $5 vehicle registration fee increase to help finance bridge and road work, writes Brian McCrone for NBC10.

Democratic Commissioners Josh Shapiro and Val Arkoosh voted for the increase in the annual vehicle registration from $36 to $41. However, the only Republican Commissioner, Joe Gale, railed against the proposal.

Gale introduced a motion to table the vote until there was more public input, but it failed to receive a second from the other commissioners.

The extra fee for all 693,000 vehicles, which are currently registered in Montgomery County, will raise an estimated $3.25 million next year. This can only be spent by the county on transportation infrastructure under the 2013 state law that permitted the fee.

The funds will go toward the reconstruction of eight county bridges deemed structurally deficient. Arkoosh said that these eight bridges will add to the four already scheduled for reconstruction next year, hoping it will help make a dent in the total of 63 county bridges that currently need work.

Read more about the new registration fee from NBC10 by clicking here.