Posted on 08/20/2016 8:06:18 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Is it possible that a toll road could price itself right out of its market? That's essentially what the Pennsylvania Turnpike is prescribing for itself. Last week the Turnpike Commission informed us that tolls will go up a ninth consecutive year in 2017 — and stay on a steadily upward trajectory until 2044.
And of course, there's no guarantee after that.
By then, we can only hope, the turnpike will have morphed into a giant solar-powered car-train — for self-driving cars, of course.
"Unsustainable" is an overused word these days, but it applies to the toll road's future. The turnpike isn't just a labor-intensive operation that requires constant maintenance and rebuilding, it's also a cash cow for Pennsylvania's mass transit systems. Since 2007 the Legislature has required the turnpike to turn over $450 million a year for public transportation, and the turnpike is racking up massive debt as a result. It's borrowing to make the transfers; almost two-thirds of its annual $980 million budget goes to debt service.
That's unsustainable, even though the annual payment is projected to dip to $50 million after 2023, because the turnpike is embarking on a $5.7 billion, 10-year schedule of capital improvements. Earlier this month, the commission's chairman and vice chairman voted against the capital plan, saying the turnpike doesn't have the means to pay for it, despite toll increases projected to 2044. It's no surprise that the commission is asking legislative leaders to roll back the annual payment.
Even if that happens, the turnpike is looking at toll increases that will send drivers looking for alternatives — local roads and toll-free options such as Interstates 80 and 78.
(Excerpt) Read more at lehighvalleylive.com ...
...and waiting...
The road is obsolete. I don’t know how it qualifies as an Interstate. If you want to be the one car sandwiched in between a hundred trucks and ruin your suspension go at it. I will take I-70 or I-80 or even Route 30 over that toll road. It’s a dying road in a dying state. “You Have A Freind In Pennsylvania” ............... “Can I Get A Receipt?”
It cost $6.10 to travel 45 miles on the turnpike from Allentown to Plymouth Meeting. If you use this road to commute to work it will cost you $12.20 every day day!
The filthy RAT Ed Rendell was governor of Pennsylvania in 2006. He looted the treasury first chance he got. That’s why we called him the governor of Philadelphia.
Tolls are older than our income tax.
“Is it possible that a toll road could price itself right out of its market?”
Nope. They’ll be banned because they are racist. OR If they are not banned a subsidy will have to be given to compensate some peoples lack of ability to afford to travel on them which will defeat the purpose of charging a toll.
$1’s ain’t gonna get you far in PA. If you run the entire turnpike between Ohio and Delaware, your toll is $48.90.
There are relatively few rest area/service centers. Most are severely overcrowded and often the sinks and toilets are out of order.
We run most of the distance several times a year and tolls are a huge expense.
If the Pennsylvania turnpike is too expensive then drive on West Virginia’s I 77/I 64
When the original section from Carlisle to Butler was built in the 30’s it was quite an engineering achievement at the time. And it was actually completed ahead of schedule and under budget, a RARE occurrence for a gov’t project.
100% correct. The diversion of toll revenue is dedicated to keeping bus and train fare low for the urban ghettos in PA. Slick Eddie will never stop milking others to help his electoral base in dung heaps like Notth Philly.
I never understood why thousands of people would pay for the same patch of asphalt daily. The first turnpike I experienced was in PA.. It was rough and crowded. Kinda made me wonder if they took their milk jugs back after every serving and paid for the whole thing again. Still doesn’t make sense to me. A democrat thing, paying for bad to worsening conditions and paying more for i.e.
Pa. Turnpike is working on making the whole thing 3 lanes each way.
In a different Commonwealth, Massachusetts, hey don’t worry, the Mass Pike will be toll free once the bonds are paid off, so look forward to the 1980s when that will happen.
Actually at one time then MA gov William “Libertarian VP Nominee” Bill Weld, then a Republican, got rid oif the tolls in western MA.They have since been restored, as has the fee for car registration for drivers in good standing that he had waived.
Rte 43 in SW PA cost 25 cents at each end of a 30 mile drive when they opened the highway 20-30 yrs ago. Drive that cost $1.00 then now costs $8.10.
Yes, I believe you’re right.
True that. But we only travel a short distance on it usually, and the $1s are about x30 just in case we forget to get enough cash. The last time we went, we had it covered - but not on return. That’s when my “stash” came in handy. Some poor SOB barely got through one booth, then had to go to the shame spot when he hit the next.
Our time is coming ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.