Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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Do you believe the thieves who gave us tolls would keep charging rates that barely cover the postage for mailing bills?
I have no dog in this race since I have poor depth perception and do not use the interstates.
First, it's not thievery to collect money from people who voluntarily drive on a public good knowing it's a toll road.
Secondly, I strongly suspect that what's behind these low-value/no-value tolls is a shakedown cruise to get the electronic tolling system's bugs out before the _real_ traffic volume begins once the Toll 540 segment is open.
We've yet to see any discrepancies on our toll bills, but then again, we both bought the Transcore transponders (Quick Passes.) License plate recognition is much, much harder; I'm looking into the technology a bit for work right now and it's an emerging and imperfect technology. The system isn't going to get 100% of the plates right, all it can hope for I'm betting is to collect at higher rates where it can and use those higher rates to encourage folks to buy passes.
Frankly, where corruption comes in in toll roads and transit systems are from large coteries of toll collectors and lots of cash flowing through collection points -- Google the "MBTA money room" mess for more on that. An all-electronic system where charges go off to acquiring merchant banks for reconciliation has a lot less room for theft, as long as you don't hire Richard Pryor to write your accounting system.
If you want to charge people for using a road then next thing that could happen is to charge people for using schools.
Those are called private schools and already exist. Those are also not comparable. Public education should be a right of access to all. You don't necessarily have a need/right to access this road, there are alternative access routes.
That said? I'm not opposed to the new section being a toll road. If they'd waited for public funds? It would've been non toll just like the rest of 540.
My experience with toll roads up north is that many of them suck. Poor repair. Potholes the size of my car. I'm not averse to positive change. I just don't see toll roads as a plus.
If they'd waited for public funds? It would've been non toll just like the rest of 540.
You're missing the point. You can either build it now and have it used to take strain off existing infrastructure or wait another 10+ years. At which point it will probably be even more of a problem. There are plans for the tolls to be eventually removed.
I honestly hope they continue with plans to eventually add new toll lanes to the northern half of 540 so that everyone can just shut the hell up and stop their crying. Everyone will equally be affected then.
Those are called private schools and already exist. Those are also not comparable. Public education should be a right of access to all. You don't necessarily have a need/right to access this road, there are alternative access routes.
I believe in everyone paying into a system that benefits the area. That doesn't mean that everyone takes advantage of everything offered but you have a choice to if you want to and that makes the area better. For instance I believe in taxes paying for parks. I won't use all the parks but I could and so could a lot of other people. Should they instead toll the parks and not use tax money? Pay as you go therefore limiting access to some? See the point? Slippery slope.
Coworkers that live in HS/FV, Clayton, Garner, South Raleigh are quite looking forward to the full expansion...and are willing to pay the toll. This truck/construction traffic will also use this road heavily to spur the boom in those same areas.
Hubby plans to try it out when it hits Hwy. 55 in December. It might be worth the savings in time/mileage. We live between Holly Springs & Fuquay. He works right off 540 at 54. (Perimeter Park) Traffic's not so bad at 6:00 am, but at 4:00pm, it can be a nightmare!
We have used the toll section (the part that becomes the Durham Freeway) when going to a Bulls game. It was well worth the $1 round trip to avoid I-40 traffic!
You're missing the point. You can either build it now and have it used to take strain off existing infrastructure or wait another 10+ years. At which point it will probably be even more of a problem. There are plans for the tolls to be eventually removed.
I honestly hope they continue with plans to eventually add new toll lanes to the northern half of 540 so that everyone can just shut the hell up and stop their crying. Everyone will equally be affected then.
They have "plans" to remove the tolls, but if you think they will if it's the cash cow it would become with tolls all the way around it? No. It'll always be a toll road.
I don't really use it very often. I live about 15 minutes from RTP down Davis Drive.
I've read that the north arc of 540 cannot be tolled anytime soon because NCDOT took federal construction money for it. That's why the north arc is called I-540 and the rest is or will be called NC 540. The feds don't allow a state to slap a toll on an existing Interstate. If and when the north arc is substantially upgraded, tolls could be applied if the feds approve.
I've read that the north arc of 540 cannot be tolled anytime soon because NCDOT took federal construction money for it. That's why the north arc is called I-540 and the rest is or will be called NC 540. The feds don't allow a state to slap a toll on an existing Interstate. If and when the north arc is substantially upgraded, tolls could be applied if the feds approve.
Yeah, what you are referencing is akin to the Federal Government's Interstate System Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Pilot Program or Toll Pilot Program. Only 3 states were allowed to join said program and NC was state #3 as of earlier this year. It essentially allows the State to toll an existing interstate. They sought entrance into the program in order to toll I-95.
As a resident of Clayton, I wish the southern half was already done. I drive to Fuquay regularly and it would be handy to go there from the north side of Clayton via 540.
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