Toll Roads in NC?

[roywhite]

A rather dubious sign of development and growth, I guess.

Toll lanes proposed on I-77

CORNELIUS The state plans to convert Interstate 77's high-occupancy vehicle lanes into toll lanes and extend them to Exit 28 in Cornelius, the chairman of the Lake Norman Transportation Commission announced Wednesday night.

Is the Triangle Expressway going to open by year end 2011?

[devildeac]

A rather dubious sign of development and growth, I guess.

Toll lanes proposed on I-77



Is the Triangle Expressway going to open by year end 2011?

Looks like that is what the NCDOT is forecasting:

http://www.ncturnpike.org/projects/Triangle_Expressway/

I-95 from the NC/Va border to the NC/SC border could use a LOT of improvement and I have read several proposals over the last decade or more to have this paid for with tolls. Oz won't be very happy but I would think this would capture a ton of $ from the North-South travelers to re-surface/widen/improve this bumpy, heavily-traveled, accident prone corridor.

[snowdenscold]

One of the things I look forward to about driving South is the lack of tolls. Driving north from DC to PA, NJ, NY, etc. is such a pain and can make the trip very expensive. I would feel trapped if NC added them too.

Plus, never believe any hype about only putting tolls in until project X is paid for (see: Dulles Access Road). They never go away. Only increase in price.

[davekay1971]

Of course, I-77 between Harris Blvd and Mooresville is already a parking lot during both morning and evening rush hour. This'll make my commute to and from Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville even more enjoyable! First the Yankees come bringing traffic, loud accents, and neuroses...then they turn my red state blue (ok, maybe George Bush did that)...now they bring toll booths. Can't wait to buy my EZ Pass...grrrrrrrr.

(I'm joking of course. Grew up in Maryland)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Looks like that is what the NCDOT is forecasting:

http://www.ncturnpike.org/projects/Triangle_Expressway/

I-95 from the NC/Va border to the NC/SC border could use a LOT of improvement and I have read several proposals over the last decade or more to have this paid for with tolls. Oz won't be very happy but I would think this would capture a ton of $ from the North-South travelers to re-surface/widen/improve this bumpy, heavily-traveled, accident prone corridor.

I already have an EZPass and a Florida Sun Pass... and pay a dollar several times each time I go to Hilton Head to use their Cross Island Parkway (that is a Godsend!) Actually, I think that toll has gone up to $1.25 now. If they toll I-95 I guess I'll start driving on 301 more often when I can take the extra time, or pay the toll when I can't. Time is money.

[Olympic Fan]

I know that growing up, North Carolina used to brag that it had more miles of tollfree roads than any other state. At the time, the only "tolls" were the ferry fees to the Outer Banks.

I actually don't mind the fees -- it seems to make sense that users pay for the roads. But my experience with tolls are that they lead to congestion (even with such things as E-Z pass).

It will be interesting to see how native North Carolinians react to get having to pay for something they always used to get for free.

Anybody else remember "Season Pass" and the uproar that caused?

[Jarhead]

... never believe any hype about only putting tolls in until project X is paid for (see: Dulles Access Road). They never go away. Only increase in price.

May I remind you that, back in the 1950s, the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike started out as a toll road, and stayed that way for many years. There were four collection points for travelers connecting with US 1, all but the southern most collecting 25 cents. The other was just 20 cents. As I understand it, when the highway was commissioned it was established that the toll charges would remain in effect until all construction, maintenance and accrued operating expenses were covered, and a trust fund was established to cover all future costs including maintenance. The highway remained a toll road even after it became a part the Interstate System as I 95. Sometime ago, within the last twenty years, I believe, toll collection ceased. All past and future were covered. If any toll charges are actually assessed there should be a similar provision establishing an end point for tolls.

Another point, someone posted that they believed users of the highways should pay instead of the taxpayers. Sorry. The way I see it, why not set the fuel taxes at such a level that all costs of the highway, street, and road network are fully covered? In that way you would be paying the toll every time you drive your car. It could be argued that users just driving through would avoid paying, but the Interstate and US Highway systems get tremendous Federal support, up to 90%. Out of state drivers have already paid for the privilege of driving on North Carolina roads.

[devildeac]

May I remind you that, back in the 1950s, the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike started out as a toll road, and stayed that way for many years. There were four collection points for travelers connecting with US 1, all but the southern most collecting 25 cents. The other was just 20 cents. As I understand it, when the highway was commissioned it was established that the toll charges would remain in effect until all construction, maintenance and accrued operating expenses were covered, and a trust fund was established to cover all future costs including maintenance. The highway remained a toll road even after it became a part the Interstate System as I 95. Sometime ago, within the last twenty years, I believe, toll collection ceased. All past and future were covered. If any toll charges are actually assessed there should be a similar provision establishing an end point for tolls.

Another point, someone posted that they believed users of the highways should pay instead of the taxpayers. Sorry. The way I see it, why not set the fuel taxes at such a level that all costs of the highway, street, and road network are fully covered? In that way you would be paying the toll every time you drive your car. It could be argued that users just driving through would avoid paying, but the Interstate and US Highway systems get tremendous Federal support, up to 90%. Out of state drivers have already paid for the privilege of driving on North Carolina roads.

I'll disagree to some extent. Every time I drive to/through Murlin, Delaware and NJ (which is not that often anymore, thankfully), I cough up $ to drive on their turnpikes and bridges. Yea, I have a choice, but all those roads/bridges are part of the I-95 system, so I could argue I should drive for free as my federal tax $ pay for those structures. I'd argue that NC I-95 is in pretty crappy shape and needs to be widened and resurfaced and that NC and perhaps the federal gov'mint, should collect tolls for that to help finance that huge project over the next decade or two, just like Virginia and/or the Richmond/Petersburg turnpike authority did several decades ago for the 20 years or so they collected those tolls.

[roywhite]

May I remind you that, back in the 1950s, the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike started out as a toll road, and stayed that way for many years. There were four collection points for travelers connecting with US 1, all but the southern most collecting 25 cents. The other was just 20 cents.

On a lighter note, I recall making a trip on I-95/I-85 down to Durm with one of my Duke buddies a year or two following our graduation. This would have been in the mid-1970's, and I swear he went 3-3 on hook shots with quarters from the passenger side (across the top of the car) into the toll collection baskets. Truly impressive.

[ncexnyc]

Another point, someone posted that they believed users of the highways should pay instead of the taxpayers. Sorry. The way I see it, why not set the fuel taxes at such a level that all costs of the highway, street, and road network are fully covered? In that way you would be paying the toll every time you drive your car. It could be argued that users just driving through would avoid paying, but the Interstate and US Highway systems get tremendous Federal support, up to 90%. Out of state drivers have already paid for the privilege of driving on North Carolina roads.

This is a very old story, one which came up in the early part of the decade. Fayetteville's very own Tony Rand was a big supporter of this. He wanted toll boths placed on the VA/NC and NC/SC borders. I know that I-95 is in pretty bad shape, but when you've got one of the highest gas taxes in the country you should be able to take care of your roads without resorting to tolls, unfortunately these funds have been used by the politicians as their own private piggy bank and they dip into it to cover other needs. Politics have also contributed to the mess, as I-95 runs through the poorer part of the state, and doesn't service any major cities, hence no political clout to get funds.

[cf-62]

Of course, I-77 between Harris Blvd and Mooresville is already a parking lot during both morning and evening rush hour. This'll make my commute to and from Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville even more enjoyable!

Actually, it should make it more enjoyable. Your parking lot problem will go away.