Tolls on E-470 and commuting on 85. (Denver, Aurora: apartment, HOA, new house)

[BarryK123]

Originally Posted by afwolf33

Does anybody know if E-470 will ever be converted to a toll free road, say the government takes it over and it becomes I-470?? or something along those lines? you would think if enough people move to that area and use that road they would have to get rid of the toll..

Tolls are like taxes. They don't go away (with rare exceptions, like I-95 in CT).

When the NJ Tpk was created, the toll was supposed to go away when financing was paid off. That was a long time ago...

[2bindenver]

36 (the road to Boulder) use to be a toll road.

[steph75]

It is great for going to the airport and avoiding traffic during rush hour. I am originally from Cali, so I will pay to avoid traffic!

[AMPL]

Thanks for all the replies! –it really helped us understand the use of the freeway.
We want to move to CO, we are from MA where we have Masspike (toll freeway). Masspike was constructed almost 60 years ago and the tolls were supposed to run for 7 years until the construction costs were paid off. Masspike is the only realistic road from the west to Boston so people need to pay. - I pay close to $1500/year. This is the only toll freeway in the state and the tolls are used for maintenance of other freeways in the state, not to forget it’s toll collector’s average salary of 80k/year . Masspike is today a nephew-business and it will never be liquidated – the last many governors have proposed to get rid of it and people seem in general to want to get rid of it but it just never happens, but then again people in MA are also much different than people in CO (much more passive-aggressive).
It does not sound like E-470 is anything like the Masspike - we just wanted to make sure .

[bostontopueblo]

I lived in Mass and I always used Route 9 instead of I-90, I didn't mind the lights and traffic knowing I wasn't on the Masspike.

[zenkonami]

Originally Posted by tfox
What's more, most of the housing along E-470 is fairly new, constructed since the toll road was built and definitely since it was planned, and so people knew going in that paying tolls on E-470 was part of the deal. So, it seems fair to me -- the people who use the road are the ones who pay for it.

Originally Posted by the3Ds

Ah yes...it's another "Suburban residents are evil sprawl-mongers and should be punished" post.

In fairness, I pay to take the bus and the light rail. Both are subsidized in addition to their fees ($2.00 bus fare is a bit high compared to comparable cities, mind you), but so is E-470. Rather than "punishment" I prefer to think of it as "paying for the privilege," particularly since both modes of travel (public transit and toll highways) are optional based on one's overall lifestyle choices.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

Ah yes...it's another "Suburban residents are evil sprawl-mongers and should be punished" post.

You misunderstood me. In my post I said that very clearly that it would have been nice if the state would have just played ball with the 'feds and built I-470 with the money we were given along the same route.

But, that didn't happen, so it turns out the only way that E-470 could have been built was by tolling. The question of whether or not it's fair is really irrelevant since the state won't have the cash to build free highways of that scope anytime in the near future.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by tfox

You misunderstood me. In my post I said that very clearly that it would have been nice if the state would have just played ball with the 'feds and built I-470 with the money we were given along the same route.

But, that didn't happen, so it turns out the only way that E-470 could have been built was by tolling. The question of whether or not it's fair is really irrelevant since the state won't have the cash to build free highways of that scope anytime in the near future.

Thank you for the clarification. We out here in the suburbs that are primarily serviced by the 470 rarely use it. As I said, I've only lived here for 2 years but found out quickly how to get around the city as efficiently (and cheaply) as possible.

To those looking to move out here: Don't let the 470 deter you. This area is full of housing in all different price ranges, has a low crime rate, excellent school districts (Cherry Creek and Douglas County), is full of tons of amenities, and is convenient to nearly everything in the city. I wouldn't recommend someone commute to downtown from here, but plenty of people who live in my neighborhood work at the Tech Center, DIA, the Air Force Base and Centennial Airport. It would be nice if we had a closer train station, but my family and I head to Park Meadows Mall and take the train to LoDo to watch Rockies games and it's a fun experience for the kids and takes away the huge pain of parking and traffic when the games are through.

We use the 470 for my husband's commute to DIA (though he'll take the backroads if he's driving during the day), occassionally to get home from the mountains (if we were sitting in traffic to get through the tunnel for hours and just don't feel like taking the back roads), if we're running late for an appointment or if the weather is terrible and we want to get on a road that we know won't be a mess. Buy a transponder if you move out here, keep in in the car, and figure out the backroads (which aren't "rural" roads...they're 3 lanes, 55 mph with corresponding lights in most places).

[parks71]

If your trying to justify paying 230,000 vs 300,000 for a house and having to pay 200.00 a month for a toll, you made the wrong decision. The house will appreciate over 20 years, your toll paying will not. Lets put it in perspective.

If you payed 200.00 every month for the next 20 years into an average mutal fund, you would have 600,000.00 roughly in 20 years. Thats what you are paying to ride those tolls, not 70,000. Not to mention the amount you could have saved on gas and time if you bought the 300,000 home which was closer. 200 a month on tolls is absurd.

[rarand]

There was discussion similar to this one on the Denver Post website. The following comment hit home for me because everyone I know who lives beyond E-470 moved from California or Arizona.

I agree. Avoid E470 like the plague. It was a stupid idea in the first place. This isn't DC or Dallas. We didn't need a beltway, we needed the existing roads repaired. This is Colorado. We don't do perpetual toll roads out here. When given the chance to extend the Boulder turnpike toll years ago, the voters overwhelming majority said no, but with all the Califoriegners here now, we can expect more Californication and taxes, taxes, taxes to pay for their convenience.