Kansas Turnpike Cash tolls going up

[route56]

http://bit.ly/Hx4Rm

The Kansas Turnpike is announcing a toll increase for cash users. Large trucks will see their tolls go up about 5 percent, car tolls ~ 15 percent, starting October 1.

In addition, the tolls for Cash and K-TAG users are being separated. K-TAG users will continue to pay the current rates. The Turnpike Authority will also encourage use of K-TAGs by offering them at local Dillon's and Walgreens locations, and at AAA offices beginning September 1.

I have it from the KTA that those with pre-pay accounts will continue to receive a 10 percent discount on the K-TAG rate.

Thus, to go from end to end on the Kansas Turnpike in a car:
Cash - 10.75
K-TAG Post-pay - 9.25
K-TAG Pre-pay - 8.325

Following I-35 (Southern Terminal-Emporia)
Cash - 6.00
K-TAG Post-pay - 5.25
K-TAG Pre-pay - 4.725

Following I-70 (East Topeka-Eastern Terminal)
Cash - 2.50
K-TAG Post-pay - 2.15
K-TAG Pre-pay - 1.935

[mightyace]

Good thing I have no plans on going through Kansas anytime soon. 

As many longtime readers of this site are aware, I an vehemently opposed to surcharges for cash customers.  However, the 15-25 percent surcharge in the proposed KTA rates is relatively modest compared to some.

[Chris]

I don't think $ 10 for 220 miles is that expensive though. Few people will pay this amount on a regular basis. I think the tolls in France are 4 times that.

[J N Winkler]

5c/mile is a really good deal compared to recently built toll roads, even in the US.  However, it is still a good deal more on a per-mile basis than the gas tax.  If you have a car which gets 30 MPG, then you pay about 40c in tax over 30 miles, which is just 1.3c/mile.

Now, if the Turnpike were returned to KDOT, taxes would have to go up to support the added maintenance and reconstruction required, but the overall tax burden would be, on a per capita basis, somewhat less than the sum of tolls plus money paid out in gas tax.  For obvious reasons, disturnpiking tends to be more popular in the eastern and more heavily populated part of the state than in the west.  Kansas follows the principle of one person, one vote in apportioning seats in both chambers in the Legislature, but the reality is that there are just 40 senators versus 125 represntatives, and senators in periurban districts need rural votes to win.  I don't see a disturnpiking initiative ever getting past the Kansas Senate:  why would the rural interests who control that chamber hike the gas tax to give Turnpike commuters an easy ride?

[Scott5114]

I have a feeling that if KDOT took over the Turnpike, their first order of business would be constructing tons of new interchanges. The Kansas Turnpike, much like many turnpikes in this area, is relatively interchange-poor compared to free roads. That could be used to convince rural legislators that they stand to benefit from eliminating the tolls. 

That said, $6 for Kansas City to Emporia sucks. Oh, well, at least the Turnpike is decently maintained... the substandard and bumpy Turner and Will Rogers Turnpikes cost $4 a piece now, for a grand total of $8 to get from OKC to Joplin (and even more if you want to bypass Tulsa).

[Revive 755]

That said, $6 for Kansas City to Emporia sucks.

The free and more direct I-35 is bad enough that it is worth the cost of tolls to take the turnpike?

[route56]

Well, the toll from KC to Emporia is only $4.50

I-35 between Emporia and Kansas City is in very good shape, much of it was recently re-built with Portland Cement pavement, so I'd say no.

[ob: Scott presumably meant "That said, $6 for Oklahoma City to Emporia sucks."]

[Scott5114]

Yeah, I meant "Emporia to Oklahoma". Sorry.

The free section of I-35 is actually one of the better roads I've driven on.