Indiana signs 75-year lease turning toll road over to private operator

kvoa.com/ ^ | 4/12/2006 | kvoa.com/

[cope85]

http://www.unglobalcompact.org/ParticipantsAndStakeholders/search_participant.html? Participant Search Results

[N. Theknow]

Wow!

Now we're outsourcing toll roads!

[jaydubya2]

Maybe it is a good "financial" deal but I'm against it. They are raising tolls (which was going to happen anyway). But I believe Gary airport is going to be a gold mine for NW Indiana and Chicago. (the FAA just approved millions to invest in Gary AP to be the "third" Chicago airport). The Indiana toll road goes right by it and will get you to downtown Chicago in 15 minutes.
And you know our State and local govmnt is going to blow this money in less than 5 years, and probably start some project that go way over budget, and the burden will be on us taxpayers to make up the difference. This Ausie-Spainish consortium that buying the road isn't doing it because it's a good deal for Indiana, their buying it cause it's a good deal for them!

I voted for Mitch also, but he's only disappointed me with this and the time zone fiasco.

[stockstrader]

Yes it will. And that money will not stay in Indiana, but will go overseas. What a deal!

[mysterio]

Thanks, Mitch. Now our grandkids can pay for even more BS without the revenue from the toll road. But because you pissed so many people off by forcing DST on us, you won't be serving past 2008. Maybe the Irsays will give you a job with some of the money you gave them, though.

[VeniVidiVici]

We wouldn't be getting ripped off by these rich corporations wasting our money on profit.

And with your idea it would only be a short amount of time before the gov't gave the private company the right to eminent domain to expand.

Somethings gov't was meant to do and highways is one of them. Toll roads have been operated by government entities in America since before the birth of our republic.

[JRochelle]

Its pretty obvious you don't get the concept of what has happened.
Mitch wanted more money, right away, so he leases the toll road for 75 years.
That money will be paid up front, and spent within 10 years. Now how the hell is that good for the citizens of Indiana?
Meanwhile the company who bought the toll road will be free to charge whatever toll they want. They didn't build the toll road, yet they get to fleece those of us who use it for the rest of our lives. And in 75 years they can turn the road back over to the state, in any state of disrepair.

[JRochelle]

I don't know of anyone who is happy with DST.


MITCH SUCKS!!!!!!

[stockstrader]

Great 'long term' planning. He just wants the 'short term' gain--as he won't have to worry about 75 years from now.

[1rudeboy]

The toll fees are going to go way up.

Do you know this for a fact, or are you simply speculating? The contract that these folks signed with Chicago stipulated how much rates can increase, and when.

[1rudeboy]

Coming soon to your neighborhood - 100% toll-roads run by foreigners who get to hamper your freedom of movement....

Make your travel plans before those sneaky foreigners mine the highway. LOL

[trebb]

Make your travel plans before those sneaky foreigners mine the highway. LOL

Before busting a gut laughing, it might be wise to ascertain what constraints are being put on the new "owners" as far as what they are allowed to charge vs. what they have to provide.

[1rudeboy]

I refer you to my comment immediately preceeding yours.

[1rudeboy]

make that comment 30

[IamConservative]

That leaves 60+ years where the state gets absolutely no benefit from the toll road.

Except for the return on the economic development investments made with the +$3B. This deal becomes good or bad in time based on the wiseness or lack thereof of the investments.

[trebb]

Thanks - at least they're writing better contracts than the ego-maniacal children in the Congress are writing about immigration reform...

[Toddsterpatriot]

100% toll-roads run by foreigners who get to hamper your freedom of movement...

There are already foreigners hampering my freedom of movement. Mostly because they're bad drivers.

[mysterio]

The people who moved here from out of state all seem to think it's really cool. The native hoosiers I know don't like it. A few that are dull or brainwashed like it. They actaully think they magically got another hour, like Mitch Daniels raised his mighty arm and stalled the sun in the sky 1 hour. Morons. The morons have won. And now we must bow down and pay them tribute. Unbelievable.

[1rudeboy]

Moreover, it was suggested earlier that the road would be relinquished in a state of disrepair. 1. This company operates tollroads for a living, around the world. 2. The contract is for operation and maintenance, and failure to maintain would breach the contract . . . I hardly think this company (whose name escapes me at the moment, but it's huge) wants to end up in court.

[1rudeboy]

Here we go. The company's (consortium's, actually) name is Cintra-Macquarie, and the website is in Spanish. Apparently it operates 30 toll roads around the world (among doing other things.