Toll roads with no free alternative

[SSOWorld]

States and toll authorities can do whatever they want.  E-ZPass was an ideal situation for the northeast since all those states have toll roads.  Illinois and Indiana joined in I believe because there are lots of truck drivers that follow the corridor of toll roads through there from the northeast.  Ohio is doing the same - eventually... in the future... maybe in the next few years...

Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, California, Texas, etc are isolated away from the E-ZPass group.  They probably don't get a whole lot of E-ZPass users (outside trucks maybe).

NOTE: This is just my opinion and theory - if you have anything that debunks it - I'm all ears.

[Michael]

Heh, if you want to see a free alternative extremely close to a toll road, look at the NJTP/I-295. They run up against each other for several miles. Only problem is I haven't been able to find any easy direct connection at 295's northern end--probably because then no one would take the Turnpike.

I thought of that as soon as I saw this topic.

[Chris]

Mont Blanc tunnel on the border of France and Italy. Cars pay 40 dollars one way, trucks 300 dollars. Talking about insane tolls.

[njroadhorse]

Would US 20 and US 9 count as free alternatives to the Thruway, because, while they are toll-free, they are a lot longer and more inefficient of a route, especially 20 in Western New York

[mightyace]

Would US 20 and US 9 count as free alternatives to the Thruway, because, while they are toll-free, they are a lot longer and more inefficient of a route, especially 20 in Western New York

I would say so as they are roughly parallel to the Thruway.

Generally, the "free alternatives" will be longer and/or less efficient.

[Duke87]

Would US 20 and US 9 count as free alternatives to the Thruway, because, while they are toll-free, they are a lot longer and more inefficient of a route, especially 20 in Western New York

The Taconic State Parkway would be a better free alternative south of Albany, but that doesn't work if you're a trucker.

I suppose I-86/NY 17 along with I-88 could also be a free alternative to the east/west portion, depending on where you're going.
If you're driving from New York City to Rochester, using 17 and 390 is actually shorter than using the Thruway the whole way.
Although the shortest all-highway route is 80 to 380 to 81 to the Thruway.

[yanksfan6129]

Yes, we found out that if you are coming from NJ, the best way to go to Western NY is actually not the Thruway.

[74/171FAN]

FL 528 does not really have a free alternative as the closest one would be following I-4 to I-95 , which would add over 100 miles to a trip.

[Alex]

Now, the Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline and the Northeast Extension have no easily describable parallel alternatives.

US 22 and US 30 can get you the same places as the Turnpike from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg and Philadelphia, respectively but they are not that close to the Turnpike at some points.  Now, PA 309 would be a free alternative to the Northeast Extension from the mainline to Allentown, but the routes diverge north of that and nothing really follows I-476 north of that until Wilkes-Barre where I-81 provides an alternative route.

Actually a combination of Pennsylvania 309, Interstate 78, Pennsylvania 33, Interstate 80, and Interstate 380 does provide a viable alternate route to Scranton. The only hurdle really is the fact that there is no interchange between Pennsylvania 378 and Interstate 78, so one has to head west to make the connection with Pennsylvania 309. It does add time because of all the signals on PA-309, but I've done this routing many times without much problem.

[Alex]

FL 528 does not really have a free alternative as the closest one would be following I-4 to I-95 , which would add over 100 miles to a trip.

Actually Florida 520 and Florida 50 to Titusville or Florida 520 to Cocoa provide alternatives depending upon where you are headed in Orlando. There are only a few signals east of the Florida Toll 408 interchange on FL 50, so its not that unreasonable, and east of Bithlo, both SR 50 and SR 520 are rural.