Posted on 11/09/2017 7:58:08 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
INDIANAPOLIS — A recent state study found that if the state’s interstates were made into toll roads, they could generate between $39 billion and $53 billion over 30 years.
But it’s unlikely that all of Indiana’s interstates would be made into toll roads, State Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper, said Friday morning.
He especially doubts that Interstate 64 or Interstate 69 from Evansville to Indianapolis would be converted.
“The only way you can put a toll on a road is if you upped the capacity of the road,” he said. “If you widen the bridges or increased the number of lanes, then you could toll it because of the new construction costs."
According to federal law, you can’t toll an existing road if you don’t increase its capacity.
That pretty much knocks I-64 out of the running, Messmer said.
“Interstate 64 will most likely never need additional capacity” for handling traffic, he said. “Paving and other road maintenance is not increasing the capacity for more traffic.” Because of that, it is very unlikely that it will become a toll road, he said.
In the road-funding bill approved during the Indiana General Assembly’s last legislative session, the Legislature requested that the Indiana Department of Transportation conduct a tolling feasibility study.
“The comment last year was if tolling is feasible, what kind of dollars could be generated, and where does it make sense to do it,” Messmer said. “We thought we had those answers, but no one had studied it.”
The study, which was released by INDOT Wednesday, looked at how much toll revenue the state’s six interstates would generate over 30 years, from 2021 to 2050.
(Excerpt) Read more at duboiscountyherald.com ...
I-65, on either side of Lafayette, Indiana, is being totally rebuilt, not merely being repaved. They are taking out all of the concrete that was laid back in the late 1960’s and early 70’s down to the original road bed.
does it have a left hand shoulder ? turn it into a car pool lane\bus\fast lane.
I forgot to include that it does not appear to being widen, other than possibly in the immediate area between US 421 and Indiana 38 on the northeast and east side of Lafayette, IN.
SUCKERS!
Toll Roads are like a 20 year loan on your car.
The car is paid off in 3 years, but you keep paying in perpetuity.
SUCKERS!
Your toll highway was paid off years ago.
You are a victim of rent seekers.
Toll is NOT free market. It is rent.
Today Kentucky doesn’t have a single toll road. The tollbooths were taken away after the roads were paid off. How many other states have done this?
gas taxes do not even cover maintenance of highways - less than 1/4
I just received two statements in the mail from Kentucky totaling $8 ( 4 dollar charge on each statement ) for crossing the new bridge that connects Louisville to Indiana.. and then crossing from Indiana back into Louisville using I-65 two days later.
There is NO toll booth. All tolls are charged by cameras photoing license tags and then sending the bill to whoever they're registered to.
By the way... a one way trip over the bridge for 18-wheelers is $14.
I used that bridge in May, when I was Uber driving for the Kentucky Derby. Having it right on the border means I didn’t count it; the toll seemed more like a tax from Indiana. If you can take the east-west I-64 bridge instead, so much the better.
Is the toll bridge on I-65 or another highway?
Texas used to. Then we got a "tollway authority". No tollway will ever go away in the state again.
The toll is charged on TWO of the three bridges that cross the Ohio river from Louisville.
The company running the camera tolling system is called Riverlink.
Here is the link that explains everything plus some info I added below the link.
Who handles the money collected?
Earlier this year, U.S. Bank was awarded a contract to be responsible for the deposits of tolling revenues until it is split evenly to Indiana and Kentucky on a periodic basis. U.S. Bank will charge $52,000 annually to manage the RiverLink account.
How much will RiverLink make a year off of tolling?
Indiana and Kentucky will evenly split toll revenue. After the initial ramp-up of the system, toll revenue is expected to be around $100 million a year. Toll revenue will be used for project costs and bridge maintenance as well. Does all of the money made go to satisfy financial obligations?
From RiverLink: "Yes, and maintenance of the bridges. Kentucky will use its half of toll revenues to pay debt services on its bonds as well as operations and maintenance of the Downtown Crossing, its half of tolling operations and maintenance costs, and other project-related costs. The use of toll revenues is governed by a closed indenture which prevents the money from being used for non-project costs.
"Indiana’s portion of toll revenue will be deposited into the Indiana Project Trust and is used to pay all expenses related to the new East End Crossing bridge plus Indiana’s portion of any ORB-related general costs. These costs include payment to the developer."
That’s a bridge now!? I was pissed about Indiana implementing the $.10 per gallon gas tax and the $15 increase in regestration fees. If they make a toll road out of I-65 and I-94, the Indiana republicans are going to have a hard time staying in office.
That’s a Toll bridge now!?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.