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View Poll Results: Higher gas tax or Toll Roads
Higher Gas Tax 9 52.94%
Toll Roads 5 29.41%
Both 3 17.65%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-19-2014, 07:56 PM
 
Location: Detroit
3,671 posts, read 5,856,285 times
Reputation: 2691

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To fix these Michigan roads would you rather have a higher gas tax or toll roads?
If we should of tolls, where should they be?
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Old 05-19-2014, 08:33 PM
 
Location: Michigan
4,647 posts, read 8,561,824 times
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I think most tolls would be likely along I-94, I-69, and I-75 leading up to Detroit. Those are the routes with the most truck traffic. Any other route and it'll just be a toll on tourist travelers.

I wouldn't be in favor of a higher gas tax because it's always continually going to go down as more people buy more fuel efficient cars. Raising it would just encourage more people to use less gas (which might not be bad if we were trying to promote mass transit).

Toll roads seem like the better option for a long-term stable source of revenue while higher gas tax seems like a larger source of revenue in the short term unless they are continually raised. However, the thing with tolls is how do we know if they will generate the same amount as a higher gas tax and would it make any difference?
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Old 05-20-2014, 04:00 AM
 
Location: West Michigan
3,119 posts, read 6,576,863 times
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Seems a lot easier to just pay for it at the pump, rather than dealing with the hassle of toll roads. I would rather driver on rough highways that are free of toll booths and have easy on and off access. I take pride in living in a state that doesn't have annoying toll roads.
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Old 05-20-2014, 06:17 AM
 
8,544 posts, read 12,314,446 times
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Neither. Give the state more money and they'll simply blow it on more stupid road construction projects--like the proposed billion dollar-plus expansion of I-94 in Detroit. To a large degree, I think the poor roads in Michigan are by design. The State Highway Department (they're really the Department of Transportation in name only) has always pushed for more and more highways. What better way to get more money to build than to not maintain the roads properly?

If Governor Snyder gets re-elected (which seems pretty certain unless the Dems put up a candidate who isn't an invertebrate) he and his Republican ilk will probably succeed in raising our gas taxes, because most of the Dems will just follow along. Instead of just talking about how to raise our taxes even more, we, as a state, should be talking about ways to promote more appropriate development practices which can be better served by transportation options other than highways. Heck, maybe we should be getting rid of some highway lanes, not adding more. But this would take some long-term thinking...so, rest assured, it will never happen (at least in our lifetimes).
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Old 05-20-2014, 09:58 AM
 
7,072 posts, read 9,564,206 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313 View Post
To fix these Michigan roads would you rather have a higher gas tax or toll roads?
If we should of tolls, where should they be?

Neither. Stop diverting 20% of our gas tax money for mass transit and actually use that money for road repair.
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Old 05-20-2014, 10:03 AM
 
7,072 posts, read 9,564,206 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jackmichigan View Post
I think the poor roads in Michigan are by design.

Correct. M14 in Plymouth was redone just a few years ago and that road is trashed already. Did not even last 10 years. Poor construction at it's worst. And people want us to throw more money at this incompetence?
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Old 05-20-2014, 10:18 AM
 
991 posts, read 1,224,223 times
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Toll roads just create another state government bureaucracy and slow traffic ... even with EZ Pass systems. Of course with EZ Pass there's the whole "big brother" issue.

If you want to get people who are buying electrics / hybrids charge them more for registration.
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Old 05-20-2014, 06:37 PM
 
Location: Detroit
3,671 posts, read 5,856,285 times
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I guess I should of put "Neither" as an option on the poll as well.
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Old 05-20-2014, 06:50 PM
 
Location: west mich
5,739 posts, read 6,907,576 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313 View Post
To fix these Michigan roads would you rather have a higher gas tax or toll roads?
If we should of tolls, where should they be?
Toll roads are a freakin' nuisance - I mean, in certain desperate situations which could crop up, don't forget to drive to the bank first then get in line at the tollbooth. Money out is money out, and taxes are more convenient, but I understand some people even want corporate-owned infrastructure. I think that's what this latest "pay-as-you-go" movement is all about.
How about tollgates at every driveway? No pay, no go.
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Old 05-20-2014, 08:40 PM
 
Location: West Michigan
3,119 posts, read 6,576,863 times
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I am having trouble fathoming why people would ever WANT toll roads. I hate driving on them. The entire concept annoys me to no end. And it wouldn't even help with our biggest problem, which is all of the two lane roads and city streets that are in bad shape.
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