Are tolls the only practical way of freeway construction/expansion in Texas? (Houston: insurance, taxi)

[mirotek]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

TBH I see both good and bad in Toll Roads and am not 100% sure which way I lean on them. I like them because they typically provide a fast and effective means of beating traffic and many of them in TX have high speed limits which kind of justifies the cost.. ..that and they're typically better maintained than most freeways in TX.

...The bad though is 'if' citizens are paying tax for free roads that are not getting built and instead tolled highways are built in place of roads that would have otherwise been free, there's a level of corruption that needs to be addressed - unrealistic yea but still. They are also not very affordable means of commuting longer distances on a weekly basis. I typically expect to pay in the ballpark of $200 in tolls per month. It's still totally doable for me but I don't expect that the average commuter could easily foot that ontop of other expenses.

If I'm being honest, I think toll roads are the most fair way of paying for roads. You pay for what you use based on distance and vehicle type. Heavier vehicles should pay more as they cause more damage to the road compared to a small sedan or motorcycle.

What I don't think is cool is that many of the toll roads in Texas are run by mega corporations and not run by the state. Like you said, it can lead to corruption and greed.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by mirotek

The "pick your own electric plan" is another scam. They marketed it as a way for consumers to save money but in reality all it does is make more corporations who leech off of people.

Agree,
Sad how much crap like that we have in Texas
A complete lack of consumer protection

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by mirotek

If I'm being honest, I think toll roads are the most fair way of paying for roads. You pay for what you use based on distance and vehicle type. Heavier vehicles should pay more as they cause more damage to the road compared to a small sedan or motorcycle.

What I don't think is cool is that many of the toll roads in Texas are run by mega corporations and not run by the state. Like you said, it can lead to corruption and greed.

If toll roads are such a great solution,
Why is it that it’s only used in big cities, where most of the tax revenues are generated
I-10 was expanded and toll lanes were added to it
I-45 has been expanded past Conroe and there’s no toll lanes on it

Here’s another one … why is there no mention of tolls for the new highway I-14
Even though their website says that it will require federal and state funding

Strategic Highway

“ Building I-14 along its 1,300 mile path will require billions of dollars and many years to complete but we are on our way,” said John Thompson, chairman of the I-14 Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition which has been building grassroots support for I-14 over the past two decades.

[Need4Camaro]

If it were tolled along its entire route it wouldn't do a great job at fulfilling its purposes, most people would choose I-10 or I-20.

I also believe that new Interstate Highways can't be tolled.. ..I believe there are some exceptions such as existing turnpikes / toll roads that were grandfathered into the system.. but I'm not sure if they can build a brand new Interstate as a toll road.

[Dopo]

So toll roads only work when people can’t avoid them?

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by Dopo

So toll roads only work when people can’t avoid them?

I personally regularly drive about 75% of the length of I-14 on my trips to / from Austin <> Atlanta.. ..I-20 just isn't far enough out of route and is nowhere near congested enough to justify paying an extra $100 - $150 each way to bypass it.. (figuring a rate of approximately $0.15 per mile) ..that would add $300 onto my trip. It however would probably be more advantageous to shorter and local commutes between the smaller towns it passes through.. ..freight traffic will use it as an absolute last resort due to the obscenely high costs for trucks (we're talking in the ball park of $700 one way for the entire length assuming a truck rate in the ballpark of $0.60 per mile), especially compared to I-20 which is free and for the most part reaches the same destinations.

I-10 ... I probably would pay to bypass some sections in Louisiana, namely between Lafayette & Slidel (I-10 / I-12 interchange) ... but thats still an overall much shorter segment. I would probably also pay to bypass I-35 between Austin and DFW.

The average person will avoid a toll road if there is a feasible route (or slightly less feasible) within the vicinity until either the toll road becomes more advantageous by bypassing traffic congestion and surface arterials (like many of the suburban toll roads in Texas) .. or the free alternative is either too unreliable or too congested .. (somewhat similar to how 130 was 'intended' to be for I-35).. ..If for example, I-20 were plagued with traffic snarles along its route, then I would consider a tolled I-14 as an alternative if I saved lets say 2 - 3 hours overall.

Tolls don't seem to work in all cases for highways, The Chicago Skyway is an example of this.

[mirotek]

Originally Posted by Dopo

If toll roads are such a great solution,
Why is it that it’s only used in big cities, where most of the tax revenues are generated

This might be the case in Texas, but it isn't the case elsewhere. Pretty much all of I-95 is tolled from Richmond, VA to Maine. Most of I-64 in West Virginia is tolled.

I think it's even more important for interstates to be tolled because trucks and motorists just passing through are using the road but aren't contributing any tax dollars for the wear and tear they are causing on the roads.

In general, tolls aren't very popular in the US because people don't like to pay directly for the roads they are using. It's surprising to me that there are so many tolls in Texas, but then again not very surprising because this state is practically run by corporations and they'll make money any way they can.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by mirotek

This might be the case in Texas, but it isn't the case elsewhere. Pretty much all of I-95 is tolled from Richmond, VA to Maine. Most of I-64 in West Virginia is tolled.

I think it's even more important for interstates to be tolled because trucks and motorists just passing through are using the road but aren't contributing any tax dollars for the wear and tear they are causing on the roads.

In general, tolls aren't very popular in the US because people don't like to pay directly for the roads they are using. It's surprising to me that there are so many tolls in Texas, but then again not very surprising because this state is practically run by corporations and they'll make money any way they can.

Technically everyone who pays for gas regardless of what state they reside in, is contributing to road infrastructure everywhere throughout the country, part of our Gas Tax is Federal as well, meaning someone in Georgia who pays for gas, is technically also paying for the interstate they may use later (or have goods shipped from) in Maryland. The problem is gas tax is very weak today by the standards of the amount of automobiles on the road and their fuel efficiency.

Also ... I-95 from Richmond VA to the Delaware stateline is free, with HOT / Express lanes in the D.C. area and also Baltimore... but those are auxiliary. That and a tunnel you have to pay for in Baltimore.

Delaware, New Jersey and Connecticut are tolled (Delaware Turnpike, New Jersey Turnpike and Connecticut Turnpike) .. From my understanding, those alignments predated the interstates and were privately owned expressways that were eventually cosigned with the Interstate because it made logistical sense to use existing highway rather than building entirely new roads.. ..this is also why the New Jersey Turnpike has long lane stripes that technically are not Interstate Grade. Those roads are exceptions to the rule. The same was proposed with I-95 and Florida's Turnpike between Port St.Lucie and Miami where the Turnpike predated the interstate, but instead they built an entirely new alignment for I-95 which is why for several miles between those two cities, Florida's Turnpike and I-95 are so close together you could literally throw a rock between them. I-95 was originally proposed to be apart of Florida's Turnpike through that alignment.

[mirotek]

I suspect we will see even more tolls as more people switch to electric vehicles and the income from fuel taxes drops even lower.

[Need4Camaro]

That is probably true, that or a different way of funding roads altogether