Federal Agency Pushes States to Toll Existing Roads

The Newspaper
by The Newspaper

The Federal Highway Administration recently held out $10.5 million to bribe states into turning freeways into toll roads through fiscal 2011. As part of the so-called Value Pricing Program, which Congress introduced in 1991, the agency will take taxes paid by drivers at the pump and underwrite projects designed to charge motorists more for driving on existing roads or increase other fees imposed on drivers.

“These projects show that states are developing new ways of thinking about how to manage congestion,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement on projects selected in August.

Under the program, FHWA will select fifteen project proposals submitted by state departments of transportation and underwrite up to 80 percent of the cost of feasibility studies and implementation reporting. In August’s funding round, for example, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Washington Council of Governments received $320,000 in taxpayer funds for a study of the “advancement of regional pricing in DC including pricing existing facilities.” The Texas Department of Transportation received $2 million to promote a pay-per-mile insurance pilot programs designed to ease the public into acceptance of the concept of pay-per-mile road pricing. Of the total amount of money allocated, $2.6 million is set aside for “non-tolling” projects such as the use of congestion pricing at parking meters, a system that allows local authorities to charge higher rates for car owners during peak times.

Tolling of roads, especially of “existing facilities,” is frequently criticized as creating so-called Lexus Lanes that force poor commuters to drive in traffic while the wealthy can pay for a quicker journey. To address this problem, the FHWA program will support the diversion of even more money from state and federal gas taxes toward complicated rebate systems or mass transit.

“The potential financial effects of value pricing projects on low-income drivers shall be considered,” FHWA’s Federal Register notice explained. “Where such effects are expected to be both negative and significant, possible mitigation measures should be identified, such as providing new or expanded transit service as an integral part of the value pricing project, toll discounts or credits for low-income motorists who do not have viable transit options, or fare or toll credits earned by motorists by use of regular lanes which can be used to pay for tolls on priced lanes. Additional measures include methods to facilitate convenient cash payment by those who do not have bank accounts or credit cards, or who choose not to tie their toll accounts to their bank accounts or credit cards.”

Applications for the federal funding must be received by January 18, 2011.

[Courtesy: Thenewspaper.com]

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  • Glenn Konze Koniszewski Glenn Konze Koniszewski on Oct 24, 2010

    I'm in favor of raising the fuel tax vs tolling roads. On that note, I agree with TCED2...open those books up. I want to see what types of "pet projects" our tax dollars are being used for. Cut out highway "beautification" projects!

  • ClutchCarGo ClutchCarGo on Oct 25, 2010

    I do think that tolling via automated systems (in addition to gas taxes) is a compelling way to pay for road usage in a more equitable manner. The ability to vary tolls according to demand would help shift some travellers to alternatives (mass transit, work from home) and others to off-peak hours (trucking). This also works better than gas taxes when states have disparate rates; motorists can't avoid paying for their travel by buying fuel in a neighboring state. My biggest problem with toll systems is the lack of privacy in the data collected. With no requirement to show cause for accessing records, law enforcement (and anyone well connected) can review the travel habits of any driver they please. This situation invites abuse, and the spread of data collection via tolling would make the problem much worse. Accessing toll records must require a warrant to ensure that casual access is not allowed. Of course, when our courts are holding that law enforcement doesn't need a warrant to attach a GPS unit to your car, I don't expect that we're going to get any real privacy protection for our travel.

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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