Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Tollroads Getting Popular Says WSJ
The Wall Street Journal reviews the growing popularity of tollroads in Texas, Florida, and other states. Subscription may be required.
Comments:
This is an interesting article: I will make a few comments on some of the writer's statments.
>>>>>>The number of cars, pickup trucks, buses and motorcycles on U.S. roads surged more than 20% during the past decade -- 10 times the growth rate in road mileage. And fuel taxes traditionally used to pay for highways aren't bringing in enough money to fix existing roads -- much less build new ones.<<<<<
As we continue to build more and more roads, the fuel taxes are not enough to cover the cost for maintenance. What is needed to cover this cost is to increase fuel taxes. The interstate is not free and taxes are the only way to fix this problem if you're not going to toll the roads. Voting for "no-gas-tax" Republicans means our highways will get worse in the years to come.
>>>>>>The investment by Texas involves more than roads: As part of a comprehensive transportation plan to be rolled out over the coming 50 years, the state plans to build a statewide network that not only includes separate toll lanes for cars and trucks but also rail lines for commuter, high-speed and freight trains. This statewide grid would roughly parallel 4,000 miles of existing interstate highways.<<<<<<
I applaud Texas for their plans of high-speed rail and freight trains. It's unfortunate they are looking to toll their roads but what else is there to do? The Republicans don't care about fixing the roads and leave the dirty work of repairing out interstate to responsible Democrates who are left to raise fuel taxes by necessity.
The end of inexpensive automotive travel is rapidly comming to an end.
>>>>>Despite the prospect of relief from traffic congestion, some consumers already protesting high prices at the pump aren't happy about having to dig even deeper into their pockets.<<<<<<
Agreed. The tolling of American highways will become a major issue in upcoming elections. The cost of driving is getting more costly each year and tolls may very well make motor transport unaforadble for many in this country.
Once a toll is put in place, it is never removed, even if it pays off the cost of initial construction. Furthermore, history of toll roads have shown incremental increases over a period of years making them quite expensive to use in the long run.
>>>>> The trucking industry is fighting Virginia's plans to impose tolls on Interstate 81, a heavily used truck route. The revenue would cover the $10 billion needed to build truck-only lanes along the interstate. Some truckers say they would steer their big rigs away from I-81 to avoid paying tolls, putting them on smaller, less-direct roads that could become more crowded and dangerous.<<<<<<<
The assumption that toll roads will relieve traffic is a misconception. The Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike are costly toll roads yet remain jammed with cars during rush hour. These roads lose their effectiveness once the motorist reaches an urban center.
I believe it is disingenious to state these tolls will reduce traffic congestion. They are nothing more than a tax to extract more money from the motorist to pay for needed road maintanence.
>>>>>The White House has threatened to veto a six-year highway-funding bill now in Congress if the legislation includes a federal gas-tax increase. The U.S. tax hasn't risen in more than a decade.<<<<<
This is classic Republicanism at work. Delay necessary road maintenance by refusing to raise taxes and tell the voters how your "No-New-Tax" stance held the line on costs. In the meantime, the road conditions get worse resulting in costly repairs in the future.
>>>>Using toll roads to ease congestion isn't new in Texas, where they have been in place for years in Dallas and Houston. And the idea seems to have worked: Drivers now average 60 miles per hour on 85 miles of toll roads in and around Houston, according to the Harris County Toll Road Authority, compared with 40 mph on major roads nearby with no tolls.<<<<
According to a recent study, was in the top ten list (#8) of cities with the worse traffic congestion in the nation. If the toll roads did work in Houston, it certainly didn't do much.
>>>>>>The number of cars, pickup trucks, buses and motorcycles on U.S. roads surged more than 20% during the past decade -- 10 times the growth rate in road mileage. And fuel taxes traditionally used to pay for highways aren't bringing in enough money to fix existing roads -- much less build new ones.<<<<<
As we continue to build more and more roads, the fuel taxes are not enough to cover the cost for maintenance. What is needed to cover this cost is to increase fuel taxes. The interstate is not free and taxes are the only way to fix this problem if you're not going to toll the roads. Voting for "no-gas-tax" Republicans means our highways will get worse in the years to come.
>>>>>>The investment by Texas involves more than roads: As part of a comprehensive transportation plan to be rolled out over the coming 50 years, the state plans to build a statewide network that not only includes separate toll lanes for cars and trucks but also rail lines for commuter, high-speed and freight trains. This statewide grid would roughly parallel 4,000 miles of existing interstate highways.<<<<<<
I applaud Texas for their plans of high-speed rail and freight trains. It's unfortunate they are looking to toll their roads but what else is there to do? The Republicans don't care about fixing the roads and leave the dirty work of repairing out interstate to responsible Democrates who are left to raise fuel taxes by necessity.
The end of inexpensive automotive travel is rapidly comming to an end.
>>>>>Despite the prospect of relief from traffic congestion, some consumers already protesting high prices at the pump aren't happy about having to dig even deeper into their pockets.<<<<<<
Agreed. The tolling of American highways will become a major issue in upcoming elections. The cost of driving is getting more costly each year and tolls may very well make motor transport unaforadble for many in this country.
Once a toll is put in place, it is never removed, even if it pays off the cost of initial construction. Furthermore, history of toll roads have shown incremental increases over a period of years making them quite expensive to use in the long run.
>>>>> The trucking industry is fighting Virginia's plans to impose tolls on Interstate 81, a heavily used truck route. The revenue would cover the $10 billion needed to build truck-only lanes along the interstate. Some truckers say they would steer their big rigs away from I-81 to avoid paying tolls, putting them on smaller, less-direct roads that could become more crowded and dangerous.<<<<<<<
The assumption that toll roads will relieve traffic is a misconception. The Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike are costly toll roads yet remain jammed with cars during rush hour. These roads lose their effectiveness once the motorist reaches an urban center.
I believe it is disingenious to state these tolls will reduce traffic congestion. They are nothing more than a tax to extract more money from the motorist to pay for needed road maintanence.
>>>>>The White House has threatened to veto a six-year highway-funding bill now in Congress if the legislation includes a federal gas-tax increase. The U.S. tax hasn't risen in more than a decade.<<<<<
This is classic Republicanism at work. Delay necessary road maintenance by refusing to raise taxes and tell the voters how your "No-New-Tax" stance held the line on costs. In the meantime, the road conditions get worse resulting in costly repairs in the future.
>>>>Using toll roads to ease congestion isn't new in Texas, where they have been in place for years in Dallas and Houston. And the idea seems to have worked: Drivers now average 60 miles per hour on 85 miles of toll roads in and around Houston, according to the Harris County Toll Road Authority, compared with 40 mph on major roads nearby with no tolls.<<<<
According to a recent study, was in the top ten list (#8) of cities with the worse traffic congestion in the nation. If the toll roads did work in Houston, it certainly didn't do much.
I don't know why this anonymous commenter opposes toll roads. Certainly, having grown up in a state without toll roads, I have tended to shy away from the idea. But tolls are a much better way of paying for roads than gasoline taxes.
Gasoline taxes are unfair because they don't discriminate between people who drive on very expensive roads and people who drive on cheap roads. The most expensive roads may be urban roads built to meet peak-period demand, since these roads are less used during other times of the day. Tolls can solve this problem and can also cure congestion by leading some people to drive at other times of the day.
As to Houston and traffic congestion, back in 1983 Houston was the most congested urban area in America. It has built numerous tollroads since then and as a result it has had the least congestion growth of any of the nation's fifty largest urban areas. So tollroads work in Houston.
Gasoline taxes are unfair because they don't discriminate between people who drive on very expensive roads and people who drive on cheap roads. The most expensive roads may be urban roads built to meet peak-period demand, since these roads are less used during other times of the day. Tolls can solve this problem and can also cure congestion by leading some people to drive at other times of the day.
As to Houston and traffic congestion, back in 1983 Houston was the most congested urban area in America. It has built numerous tollroads since then and as a result it has had the least congestion growth of any of the nation's fifty largest urban areas. So tollroads work in Houston.
>>>>>Gasoline taxes are unfair because they don't discriminate between people who drive on very expensive roads and people who drive on cheap roads. The most expensive roads may be urban roads built to meet peak-period demand, since these roads are less used during other times of the day. Tolls can solve this problem and can also cure congestion by leading some people to drive at other times of the day.<<<<<
Toll roads discriminate against everyone. I said it before that tolls roads start off inexpensively and then become quite costly within a period of ten years. Making it more costly for good to cross the country will mean higher prices for those retail products. We will all have to pay for the tolling of America one way or another. Furthermore, the concept of making roads so expensive so only those "well off" can use them will mean more cries for mass transit. Is this what you want?
>>>>As to Houston and traffic congestion, back in 1983 Houston was the most congested urban area in America. It has built numerous tollroads since then and as a result it has had the least congestion growth of any of the nation's fifty largest urban areas. So tollroads work in Houston.<<<<
Houston ranks #8 in traffic congestion making it one of the worse states in the union. As the city becomes more prosperous, you can expect the situation to get worse over time.
Post a Comment
Toll roads discriminate against everyone. I said it before that tolls roads start off inexpensively and then become quite costly within a period of ten years. Making it more costly for good to cross the country will mean higher prices for those retail products. We will all have to pay for the tolling of America one way or another. Furthermore, the concept of making roads so expensive so only those "well off" can use them will mean more cries for mass transit. Is this what you want?
>>>>As to Houston and traffic congestion, back in 1983 Houston was the most congested urban area in America. It has built numerous tollroads since then and as a result it has had the least congestion growth of any of the nation's fifty largest urban areas. So tollroads work in Houston.<<<<
Houston ranks #8 in traffic congestion making it one of the worse states in the union. As the city becomes more prosperous, you can expect the situation to get worse over time.
