Sunday, October 02, 2011

Toll Roads in Wisconsin?

Hmmmm...

A new report from the right-leaning Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, which favors limited government and free markets, says “modest tolls” would be enough to pay for modernizing the state’s highways over the next 30 years.

The report asserts that new sources of revenue are needed to offset an ongoing $1 billion annual shortfall in highway funding.

[...]

Wisconsin is facing an estimated $4.8 billion in costs to rebuild its rural interstate highways over the next 30 years. Tolling on the rural system would raise $5.2 billion, the report says.

The study also looked at two options for immediate tolling on urban interstate highways in the southeastern part of the state. Tolling only new express lanes would raise $1.5 billion, or 17 percent of projected modernization costs. Tolling on all lanes would raise $6.2 billion, or 70 percent of the costs.

The work could be financed up front with long-term “toll revenue bonds” based on future collections.

If, and only if, the tolls are offset by a reduction in the taxes and fees that are already allocated to transportation, then I would support putting in tolls. They really are easy to use nowadays. But if the tolls are just an additional revenue source for transportation funding, then no thanks.

(9) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1744 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin + Technology

  1. Another bad idea that just won’t go away… Sorta like the choo-choo.

    Posted by Patrick Dorwin on October 02, 2011 at 1750 hrs


  2. I was always hoping for toll booths on I90 and I94 for Illinois licensed autos only.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 02, 2011 at 1908 hrs


  3. I’m suspicious of how right-leaning this organization is that you refer to.  But regardless, the idea is hideous.  Apparently the advocates of toll lanes think that they build themselves for free and never have a single employee for collections or maintenance.  The payroll cost alone for staffing the things would probably off-set the revenue by double.  So much for limiting government. Add in the costs of construction, repair and the inevitable lawsuits [accidents, crime, false arrests], not to mention DMV standards of customer service and state employee union standards for benefits and there is no revenue here worth the cost.  On top of that, will the other Transportation sources of revenue go away?  I doubt that.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 02, 2011 at 2336 hrs


  4. What happend to the money’s that was in the transportation fund?
    Oh! Thats right, Doyle took it along with the physicians fund for liability.
    The idiot!

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2011 at 0600 hrs


  5. I could live with tolled express lanes better than with tolling all lanes. But the proposal is essentiallly corrupt, as it’s based on disproportionately taxing out-of-staters who cannot vote.

    In any case, toll authorities invariably become havens of patronage, theft and oher corruption.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2011 at 0731 hrs


  6. Should it be implemented, Wisconsin will use electronic gizmo-toll devices, which will not require much in manpower.

    But remember this:  the Illinois electronic gizmos malfunction ALL the time.  Maybe Wisconsin will buy Release 2, eh?

    And yes:  first we eliminate the extant taxes.  THEN we impose new ones.

    Posted by dad29 on October 03, 2011 at 1100 hrs


  7. Tolls? Go ahead. The company I drive for will raise their rates, as will all the others, and we all can pay higher prices for our goods. Damn! maybe I’ll even get a raise! Yippee!

    Posted by Billiam on October 03, 2011 at 1304 hrs


  8. I say no to toll roads.    The size and scope of public roads are both certainly to be argued over, but that the state should build some roads is not.  The construction and maintenance of those roads then should be funded through the general fund and not through user fees.

    User fees for general public works are just a bad idea for states.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2011 at 1313 hrs


  9. Just another way to collect more taxes rather then finding ways to reduce the 44% of people who don’t make enough money to pay Federal Taxes.

    Gov would have more tax revenue if people made more money…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 05, 2011 at 1047 hrs


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