I personally think toll roads are useful, but most people, I suspect, would rather not have them at all. Therefore, the proposed alternative. A driver in a fuel-efficient car would be paying about 5 cents a mile. In contrast, the Delaware Turnpike (I-95) is about 36 cents a mile. I suspect the Pennsylvania Turnpike is about 15 cents a mile by now for EZ-Pass and way north of that for toll-by-plate.
Yep, it’s NASTY - every state wants their ‘piece of meat’ from people driving I-95. It is a “Revenue Engine” to borrow a term from Governor Perry.
Toll roads serve a great purpose when they are well-managed and vastly superior to the “free” alternatives. Think of a limited-access highway with a speed limit 10+ MPH higher than the alternative route, with an 88,000-lb. (or higher) weight limit for trucks, and tandem or triple trailers allowed. The cost of the toll pays for a superior roadway that only exists because it provides its own revenue stream.