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I live in Apex about 1 mi from the US 64 ramps to NC 540.
Definitely >2 minutes savings, to anywhere, PEAK. But, costs me about $0.86 (or something like that) to go a single exit from US 64 to Salem St. That is 2 mins off peak -- not at all worth it.
Another example is the $0.40 (or whatever it is) to go from US 64 to Green Level Church Rd. Peak, definitely worth it. Off peak, complete waste.
To the airport .. again, peak, huge time saver. Off peak, it prob adds 10 mins driving locally. For about $1.60'ish, when you're picking up people (sometimes people who you don't want to pick up) - I'd avoid the toll (half kidding)
Net: they should adjust the rates off peak, I for one would use it more often.
Yeah I agree with you peak vs off peak. If I don't have to be out in Durham in a hurry, I'll just take US-1 all the way down to 40 and then up 147. If it's during peak commute times, you can bet I'll be paying that toll to avoid something terrible and maintain my sanity.
Status:
"Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!"
(set 22 days ago)
Location: Cary, NC
43,176 posts, read 76,826,386 times
Reputation: 45533
Quote:
Originally Posted by saturnfan
Pretty soon those running here to escape high costs will find them coming to this area.
The real answer is to either make growth pay for itself up front or stifle it by no longer bribing companies to come to already overcrowded areas.
Uncontrolled growth can't be reversed and turns a nice area to a piece of crap.
These tolls are only one symptom. Don't overlook the school bonds, etc.
Like a great many other relocating residents, I came here for the weather. While I find a great many other plusses in the area and appreciate the many fine people of the Triangle, the weather is still very important to me.
If the over-paid Yankee scourge ruins the weather, I may have to consider moving.
Until then, I will support the schools and roads and appreciate the vibrant economy.
The gov't really wants to just put a GPS in your car and toll your entire milage.
This is a different discussion, but that would be the more fair. to pay for the roads, money has to come from somewhere. Right now that is the gas tax. But as cars get better mileage and there are more alternate fuel and electric vehicles driven on the roads, that will have to change to a mileage based component or a general tax. The mileage and gas taxes are generally thought to be more fair as they tax the users of the infrastructure.
Doesn't have to be a GPS though. It could just as easily be tied to the annual inspection as they already take down your mileage and put it into the DMV computer anyway. Would be way less expensive than GPS so I would imagine that would be preferred.
As far as the use of the toll road, maybe they made very conservative predictions, but they have said that they were on or above the predicted number of trips on it pretty consistently.
To be clear, tolls on the NC portion of I-95 are tied to a major rebuild project (if it ever happens). Similarly, I-540 in North and East Wake won't be tolled until the widening project gets underway (if it ever does).
People who think traffic is bad in the Triangle should go live a while in Dallas, California, Atlanta, DC, etc. The Triangle is a breeze compared to any of those.
Maybe 5 or so years ago, the Federal DOT sent an inquiry for any state who wanted to convert an interstate, or part of any interstate, from free to a toll road, even though the free interstate was partially paid for by the federal government and our tax dollars (like I-540 from NC54 to NC55), so they can expand/rebuild the entire length of the road, and raise money for other projects in that state.
Pennsylvania was one of the states who submitted a plan to toll I-80 and their plan was similar to NC's plan to toll I-95, where they would have strategically place 5 or 6 toll booths across I-80, which wouldn't be easy to bypass and not effect local drivers too bad, like if they tolled every exit (which probably wouldn't even be feasible).
Needless-to-say, Pennsylvania's plan didn't make the cut with the Federal DOT. I think NC's I-95 toll plan was selected along with 3 or 4 others across the country, where the federal government allowed further studies on the feasibility of such a plan. Like wizard-xyzzy said, it might never happen, but you never know.
I feel like I am on the only one paying for this road! There is only a few cars out there during my commute both ways. I am going to look for alternate routes.
I feel like I am on the only one paying for this road! There is only a few cars out there during my commute both ways. I am going to look for alternate routes.
What time is your commute though? I take it both ways during the week and it's quite bustling. I actually got pissed the other week because all the lanes were full and I couldn't pass because there was an idiot driving 60 mph in the far left lane.
People who think traffic is bad in the Triangle should go live a while in Dallas, California, Atlanta, DC, etc. The Triangle is a breeze compared to any of those.
And we'd like it to stay that way.
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