Greenville Southern Connector bond default

[mightyace]

From TollRoadsNews.com:
Greenville Southern Connector SC last of not-for-profit pikes is broke

Filing Documents from the highway's own web site:
http://www.southernconnector.com/Zfilings.htm

From October:
Greenville Southern Connector headed for bankruptcy - default likely Jan 1 2010

[CanesFan27]

It's been a talking point of those against the Garden Parkway in Gaston/Mecklenburg Counties, NC

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-parkway-opponents-compare-gaston.html

[mightyace]

It's been a talking point of those against the Garden Parkway in Gaston/Mecklenburg Counties, NC

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-parkway-opponents-compare-gaston.html

A couple of points:
1) I don't know enough about either project to know how similar or different they are.

2) Though, I do generally agree with the idea that if a toll road can't "pay for itself" it shouldn't be built.  Or, relying on tax dollars to make up the difference reduces the incentive to maximize the revenue from the road or minimize spending as the attitude, "Well, the taxpayers will pay for it if we can't," takes hold.

An exception were Kentucky's Parkway system where the tolls were strictly to pay for construction costs.

This brings up another issue that has plagued a few toll roads including the GSC which is the difficulty in forecasting traffic levels.  This seems to be more of an issue today as most new toll roads are bypasses or short distance connectors versus long distance corridors.  Taking my favorite whipping boy as an example, it is a lot easier to forecast what traffic would continue on I-80 in PA if it were tolled that to forecast something like the GSC, the Garden Parkway or PA Turnpike 576.

[CanesFan27]

Issues with Southern Connector leads to concerns over possible public-private partnership for I-73:

http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/2010/02/04/house-rejects-southern-connector-bond-revamp-discusses-i-73-audio/