[sauropod]

I’d believe you if it weren’t so obvious that a lot of this is revenue raising pure and simple.

Not too far from where I live, the I-95 Interstate intersects 695, the Baltimore Beltway. They are in the process of putting in new lanes (at a cost of $700M) with tolls to “ease congestion.” I asked someone that works on highway engineering projects for the State about this and pointed out to him that toll lanes are not going to ease congestion, particularly when the other lanes remain in place and are free.

I asked him why all the effort for this? His reply was “revenue for the State.”

Check it out and tell me this is not being done to fleece the public: http://www.i-95expresstolllanes.com/

[muawiyah]

Someone who works for the highway department could be the janitor for all we know.

My experience with highway guys is that they will tell you anything you want to hear.