SR 30 (I-10 Reliever) proposed as toll road (Yuma, Buckeye: 2014, credit)

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Here is a non-paywalled article about the subject:
ADOT Considers Toll Road For State Route 30 | KJZZ

The study will take 6 months.

Also, it looks like ADOT completed the study for the Pinal North-South Corridor and it was found for tolls to be not feasible. Probably due to Coolidge's opposition. If tolls are not feasible for the Pinal North-South Corridor, what makes ADOT think tolls would be feasible for SR 30?

Probably more money up here versus in Pinal County.

I hope there's some opposition to the toll aspect. I'll pay a minor tax increase for improvements to freeways, but I'm not using a toll road.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Probably more money up here versus in Pinal County.

I hope there's some opposition to the toll aspect. I'll pay a minor tax increase for improvements to freeways, but I'm not using a toll road.

Remember than Pinal County doesn't pay the taxes that Maricopa County residents pay on freeways or mass transit, and I have doubts that Pinal County residents would favor a tax increase just to build it. The advantage of tolls is that only those who use it have to pay. And since there are no easy shunpikes for such a toll road, I thought tolls would have been the obvious choice to build it. At this rate it might never be built.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Remember than Pinal County doesn't pay the taxes that Maricopa County residents pay on freeways or mass transit, and I have doubts that Pinal County residents would favor a tax increase just to build it. The advantage of tolls is that only those who use it have to pay. And since there are no easy shunpikes for such a toll road, I thought tolls would have been the obvious choice to build it. At this rate it might never be built.

While I guess it would be nice to build a freeway/interstate quality road through the San Tan Valley from the nub they already constructed on the 202 all the way to Eloy/Picacho, it doesn't seem like the population is there (yet) to warrant spending all that money on that type of road. Even if they tolled it, they would probably have to charge $100 one way for the entire length to even get their money back and break even to pay back the investors that funded it. I'm no highway engineer, but I wonder what the cost savings would be if they just constructed a 4-lane divided highway with at-grade intersections (lights and stop sings at the cross streets), instead of a full on interstate.

I think ADOT should focus on finishing widening I-10 from Tucson to Phoenix, finishing/constructing I-11 from the Tillman bridge to at least Casa Grande, and SR-30. Then after all that they should start to think about constructing a north-south Pinal County road.

[Bondurant]

It's one toll road. Then the politicians want another and another. Then you're blackmailed into buying an EZ Pass because they'll charge double for a toll if you don't have one.

Toll roads are a scam.

[empires228]

Originally Posted by madison999

Then everything will turn into a toll road. "Oh it's just temporary" yeah right ever been to Chicago?

Or even the Kansas Turnpike

[asufan]

I like the idea of a toll road and I think it works in this area due to the close proximity to an alternative (I-10). If one is sick of sitting on I-10 they can pay up and have a presumably much faster alternative. I would imagine trucking companies would look at this as a worthwhile expense and that area is full of distribution centers, and this would in turn help the existing traffic on I-10.

[ibarrio]

If Trucks traveling through will use it then it is a good idea. Pretty sure the tolls can be deducted at the end of the year as business expense.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by asufan

I like the idea of a toll road and I think it works in this area due to the close proximity to an alternative (I-10). If one is sick of sitting on I-10 they can pay up and have a presumably much faster alternative. I would imagine trucking companies would look at this as a worthwhile expense and that area is full of distribution centers, and this would in turn help the existing traffic on I-10.

I disagree; it seems that putting tolls on reliever routes are a failure waiting to happen since most people will continue to use free roads, even if they have to sit in traffic. Take a look at SH 130 in Texas for example - even with an 85 mph speed limit, the company that designed, built, financed, operates, and maintains the road is now in bankruptcy. It seems like SR 30 could suffer the same fate if it were to be tolled.

[Nadal]

We are looking at relocating to Phoenix from Dallas.

Car registration fees are much higher in AZ than in TX and who decides where all of the VLT monies go in AZ?

Even the Toll Roads in Dallas suck at times if there is an accident and during rush hour commutes. The Tx Dot Toll Tag is another bureaucratic entity, which is an insatiable beast that constantly needs increased nourishment every year.

I have driven SH 130 and will not do it again. It is somewhat out of the way, expensive for a Toll road, and with 85 mph, some people think doing 10- 20 mph over the speed limit is a good idea.

Say no to tolls.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

I disagree; it seems that putting tolls on reliever routes are a failure waiting to happen since most people will continue to use free roads, even if they have to sit in traffic. Take a look at SH 130 in Texas for example - even with an 85 mph speed limit, the company that designed, built, financed, operates, and maintains the road is now in bankruptcy. It seems like SR 30 could suffer the same fate if it were to be tolled.

It is so close to I-10 that it is almost akin to creating toll lanes on I-10 and giving some the choice to pay up to get there faster. I know if I lived in the area and had to commute downtown I would pay up, time is important to me. I just think the big rigs should only be allowed to use the right lane on any toll roads to avoid congestion.