Posted on 01/10/2019 10:52:31 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Now I’m really ready. I love roads like that. Sadly, I just got rid of my five speed.
A couple years ago, I was up that way with my sons. We were bombing down a steep hill with a 130 degree 15 mph hairpin at the bottom. As I reached the turn, I jammed the brakes, hit the clutch and dropped into second gear, popped the clutch, engine braked for a bit and floored it. As I was shifting, I looked at my boys and said “That gentlemen is why you drive a five speed.”
My favorite road was a one lane dirt road that went up a mountain pass in Colorado. Huge dropoffs, no guardrails and 2 way traffic. Actual had to back up to let other cars go past the other way.
Americans have been screwed by tolls before the country’s founding. I love the “port authorities” that multi-states have. They are a cash cow with no transparent indication where that money goes. I avoid tolls if possible even if it takes more time. Furthermore, watch out for OUR turnpikes being SOLD to foreign companies like our ports to the Chicoms and Mideast countries.
I call that the entrance and exit fee for Delaware. US 40 is a couple miles east of I-95 and has no toll
We have driven from the Twilight Zone to the Philly area a couple of times a year, Except for the Lehigh Tunnel (the Northbound tube is a disgrace) it is a great timesaver. Much easier than the trip to NYC..
“do you have figures annual maintenance (without toll taker pay) vs income?”
No, but the higher tolls are reflective of the outrageous overruns on new bridge construction. The new northbound Benicia Bridge came out more than double it’s projected costs. They had to do some very expensive “pile driving” for the bridge’s supporting columns because it was harming the fish in the Sacramento River. The new Bay Bridge Eastern Replacement ( which is a thing of beauty, I will grant you) also went way over budget, and now they are concerned that some Chink steel used in it may be a problem.
Fixed.
Hope the truckers win their suit.
I was driving a ‘96 Buick with iffy front brakes.
Probably should have had the five-speed.
We had the joy of toll road travel this past summer to the NE and twice hit bridges where there were NO cash options...all electronic ePass systems. The Tappen Zee had several signs for a number to text but I would not have seen it without my Navigator.
Same for the Delaware River bridge connecting the NJTP to PA Tpke...controlled by the PA Tpke Authority.
Called numbers and made arrangements but still got the bill in the mail with the Tag Photo System.
I could see that being scary.
I recently told a Judge that the roads in her state were so awesome my exuberance got the best of me.
She laughed pretty hard at that one.
Had to pay the ticket but no points on my record.
Sadly, I could have been going 7mph faster and gotten the same ticket. 90 to 100 is the same fine.
The actual turnpike covers about 11 miles of highway, at about 36 cents per mile.
Actually, Corbett signed Act 89 in 2013, which reduces the payment for mass transit from $450M/yr to $50M/yr, starting in 2023 (not 2022 like the PR says). Act 44, which began the transfers, initially going to PennDOT in general, rather than just transit, was signed in 2007. Wasn’t Rendell the governor at that time?
“I travel the PA Turnpike frequently. The roadways are fine. But at the confiscatory rates these clowns charge, you’d think they could have sinks and toilets that work in the service centers.”
1) Well, if you don’t like the tolls, you can always walk.
2) People who drive on a road, should PAY FOR THAT ROAD.
The above is what the toll road shills here used to say (technically they didn’t say walk, but they did say use local roads). What they didn’t say is that people on the PA Turnpike are PAYING for Phili and Pittsburg bus and train systems, ALONG with their highway, which are why the tolls are so damn high.
And speaking of the shills - funny how they all went away when Texas changed tune and ended its love affair with toll roads. Wonder just who they were...
I-70 west to I-68 west to I-79 north to avoid the turnpike is pretty scenic. And the traffic jams on I-79 north have at least lessened a bit since they opened the new flyover ramp to I-70 west. Before that was the tight-ass cloverleaf that could back up traffic for miles. Believe me, I know from personal experience.
18 wheelers usually have 5 axles, unless they consider a typical trailer axle as 2 axles because it has 4 wheels.
I figure people would be more willing to pay if the toll revenue didn’t have that diversion to the mass transit unions.
The big problem with that bridge, amazingly enough, was U.S.-manufactured bolts made, I believe, from galvanized steel, which apparently corroded easily from the salty moisture in the air. Unless, of course, the Chinese steel, not subject to the usual stringent U.S. quality control, is already showing its wear.
TxDOT actually established an account on FR during the Perry PPP years.
No kidding. Did they use their own name, or was it one (or more) of the shills?
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