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Are toll roads worth it?

Started by golden eagle, September 15, 2009, 07:53:53 PM

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golden eagle

Since I live in a state that doesn't have tolls, I'm wondering if tolls do live up to what they are designed to do. I always wondered if funds that are collected from tolls raise money faster for road projects and if they are ever diverted for other means.


PAHighways

#1
I don't notice any speed to PTC projects compared to PennDOT ones.  Although toll revenue is now being paid to PennDOT, so Turnpike projects might begin to slow down.

At least the 500-some miles of the Turnpike System does not have to rely on taxes for maintenance and upgrades, unlike the other 40,500-some in the state.

SP Cook

My state diverted esentually all of the "profit" from our single, long ago paid off, toll road to a variety of feather-bedded jobs and money losing projects. 

Esentually, keeping a toll authority "honest" requires, as does most political issues, eteranal diligance on the part of those who demand clean government.

hbelkins

Quote from: golden eagle on September 15, 2009, 07:53:53 PM
Since I live in a state that doesn't have tolls, I'm wondering if tolls do live up to what they are designed to do. I always wondered if funds that are collected from tolls raise money faster for road projects and if they are ever diverted for other means.

Kentucky's toll roads did exactly as they were intended to do. The tolls covered bonds sold to fund construction, and the tolls were removed from the routes as the bonds were paid off (with the exception of two toll roads paid off by a Congressional appropriation by Rep. Hal Rogers and two toll roads paid off by an appropriation by former Rep. Ron Lewis.)

I would like to see Kentucky build new toll facilities to complete some of our unmet needs (such as the east end bridge in Louisville to complete I-265, the I-69 bridge that will be required for completion of that road, the unbuilt portions of the I-75 to Mountain Parkway corridor, and maybe even parts of I-66 like Hazard-to-Pikeville and a new Mississippi River bridge, but it'll never happen.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

UptownRoadGeek

#4
The tolls in Louisiana only benefit some Politician.  Most of them are on routes that you have no choice but to travel unless you go way out of your way.  The newest toll road, LA-1, is the only way to get to Grand isle and extreme south Jefferson Parish so you have no choice but to pay.  The only one that serves a purpose in my opinion is the GNO HOV Lanes which charge an increased toll to inbound traffic. For an extra fee you get to go around the main toll booth in the HOV lanes with High speed toll tag readers and it's still a rip-off when you think about it.


What ever happened to the proposed toll road in Jackson, MS (assuming you're in Mississippi from your sn).

agentsteel53

I for one think toll roads are great!  People tend to avoid them so the traffic levels are low, and it tends to be well-known (but not publicized!) that speed limit enforcement is more lax.  The speed of traffic on CA-73 in Orange County approaches 90mph quite often ... that is, when there is any traffic at all!
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golden eagle

Quote from: Annunciation70130 on September 15, 2009, 10:33:18 PM
What ever happened to the proposed toll road in Jackson, MS (assuming you're in Mississippi from your sn).

You must be talking about the Airport Parkway, which would go from downtown Jackson to the airport. It's still in the proposal stage.

Duke87

I'm kinda mixed on the idea of toll roads. I really have no issue with using them going on trips. But if I had to use one for my daily commute, I would mind.

Which is why, for instance, I'm never moving to New Jersey or Rockland County unless I'm also working there. Crossing the Hudson is a toll no matter what way you go (not to mention a traffic hassle), so it's not something I'll be doing five days a week, thanks.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

wandering drive

I've never had to deal with toll roads apart from the few times I have to go to Illinois, so my opinion may be a bit skewed.
The toll road on I-39/90 from Beloit to Rockford is a good case of a toll road that would be paying for intense road reconstruction, but since this is Illinois, they have to peg the speed limit at a crawling 45 mph and then put up camera vans to hit motorists with $375+ tickets.  And Blagojecvich had his name over the toll gate entering Illinois welcoming you to the Bendover Freeway.  So yeah, I'll take the scenic route thankyouverymuch. 

Mr_Northside

#9
QuoteI for one think toll roads are great!  People tend to avoid them so the traffic levels are low, and it tends to be well-known (but not publicized!) that speed limit enforcement is more lax.  The speed of traffic on CA-73 in Orange County approaches 90mph quite often ... that is, when there is any traffic at all!

That (low traffic levels) is pretty much the case with the PA Turnpike Expansion roads here in Western PA... Though I don't know that the speed limit enforcement is more lax... The first speeding ticket I ever got was on PA Tpk-66.  It was X-mas eve, and the cop said I was doing 78 in a 65.  Maybe because it was X-mas eve, he only wrote me up for "Failure to Obey Traffic Control Devices" (No "points", and a lower fine than an actual "speeding ticket", but still $$ for them).

I was riding back from the beach with my friend a little over a month ago, and we were on the Mon-Fayette, and there were at least 2 people pulled over that we saw (one NB, one SB).  My friend got lucky, he was doing between 85-90 before we saw the first cop (that slowed my friend down a bit)
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

Chris

Only if toll rates are reasonable. I don't want to pay 50 dollars for a 4 hour drive.  X-(

njroadhorse

I live close to NYC in NJ, so I believe there are too many of them, and not all of them are worth it.
NJ Roads FTW!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 30, 2009, 04:04:11 PM
I-99... the Glen Quagmire of interstate routes??

vdeane

The NY Thruway is generally better maintained than NYSDOT maintained roads.  The Thruway Authority is also usually able to make repairs faster and less invasive.  Some money does get spent on I-190 in Buffalo, I-287, and the Erie Canal (the Thruway Authority owns these; there is a charge for passing through locks on the Erie Canal, but probably not enough to support it).  Despite recent toll increases, it is still one of the cheaper toll roads around.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

leifvanderwall

I think toll roads are going to be necessary in the near future because the money coming from the gas tax and other means of government funding is not enough. Highway construction is getting more and more costly; more advanced and durable concrete is needed to handle the increase of semi-truck traffic. I would not be surprised to see toll roads in Michigan's future because the Great Lake State can not keep up with the maintenance costs of keeping its freeway system intact.

froggie

It'll have more to do with reluctance to increase the gas tax than it will the need to "handle the increase of semi-truck traffic" or other reasons.  The money's gotta come from somewhere, and since politicians and drivers are by and large opposed to increasing the gas tax, tolls are just about the only other option out there...

florida

It depends on location and availability of surface roads. Being from Orlando where every expressway except the interstate is tolled, it's far easier to pay the $1.50 to drive 75mph to Cocoa vs. taking SR 50. But going around town is easier by surface streets at times instead of paying the 75 cents to a dollar just to end up at the same spot maybe 5 minutes earlier. (The toll money shouldn't go to pay for the new headquarters of the toll authority when it could have been used better elsewhere.)
So many roads...so little time.

Scott5114

Not if I can't take pictures of their stop signs!
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef



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