Commuter rail here in New England, one of the liberal dreams, is another example of that. Typically the trains are so expensive that they aren't practically usable by anyone but middle, and upper middle class people. What good is a train that costs $23 per day to commute if you are earning minimum wage? And if you really are going to pay $4000 per year or so for the monthly pass you are better off buying a cheap car and driving it - particularly if you find someone else to ride along and share the expenses.
The toll road or lane idea is fine, as long as it is a private endeavor, and the taxpayers and drivers aren't saddled with the expense. It turns into just another tax as soon as the government figures out that they can monopolize the toll process. We see that in Massachusetts, where there is always a reason they can't remove the toll booths - even years after they Turnpike Authority paid off the bonds that the tolls were originally linked to.
I assume you are implying private endeavor with competition.
There was a big stink back when this tool road started about the state granting the Spanish company a monopoly on the route. No new free roads were allowed to be built that might compete, and existing roads were restricted in what maintenance could be done (no widening, e.g.).
The price would not be that high if competition were allowed.
In the 70s my grandfather was telling me that when the bond hucksters
were pushing them for the Turner Turnpike-—1950s-—between OKC and Tulsa that the promise was that they would remove the toll booths
when the 20 year bonds were paid off. Ha Ha Ha!
They had to keep—and raise-— the tolls for “maintenance”.
Really though it was to hit out of state traffic.