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Supporters of a 22-mile toll road between Gastonia and Charlotte are pointing to a study that says it would create 18,000 jobs in 25 years, a sharp contrast to an earlier study that said it would cost Gaston and Mecklenburg counties hundreds of jobs. Critics say study author John Connaughton, an economist at UNC Charlotte, predicted much higher forecasts of visitors to the National Whitewater Center and the NASCAR Hall of Fame than have materialized at the sites.
read more Supporters say toll road would create 18,000 jobs in 25 years (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/05/22/2315747/garden-parkway-backers-hope-new.html - broken link)
I dont see how it can add that many jobs, but, im not totally against it. At the prices they want to charge to drive on it, you wouldnt see me driving it though.
Just what we want. A toll road to nowhere on top of the new mileage tax that will create 18,000 fictitious jobs and probably 'save' 75,000 others. Aren't we tired of Pollyanna yet?
Additionally, the sun will ALWAYS shine on this new toll road. The sides of the road will be lined with rainbows and puppy dogs, and beautiful unicorns. Oh, and there will never be traffic, or accidents, or misfortunes of any kind on this beautiful new highway. I cant wait for it to be built!!
The toll road is a crap idea.
This will be one more stream of revenue for our state government to squander. When they do, they will then need another toll road to pay off the first one. It is the beginning of a financial squeeze on the wallets of people who pay too much in taxes already.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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It would be cheaper & more cost effective to widen I 85 to 4 lanes to Exit 10 then 3 lanes to the state line. The recent roadwork on I 85 from Exit 8 to the state line proved that there's more traffic on that stretch than they thought. There were backups from the state line into Gastonia.
Thought I read that these were the same people who predicted large crowds for both the NASCAR Hall of FAme and the White Water center. Good track record there.
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