N.C. Toll Plazas Could Be Down Road For I-95 Travelers

WRAL-TV - (Raleigh, NC) ^

[NCjim]

State transportation officials said they need to start charging drivers who use Interstate 95, one of the most heavily traveled interstates on the East Coast.

Officials want to install six toll plazas along the interstate in North Carolina. Officials propose to charge $3 at each plaza, which means it could cost $18 to travel in North Carolina on I-95 from the Virginia border to South Carolina.

[Koblenz]

There's certainly a cost to congestion on a highway. Ideally, highways should be funded via tolls only, and the toll rates should vary by time of day in an attempt to reduce congestion. Right now, people do not take that into account. The government, in a sense, charges a flat rate yet there are massively different demands at different times of the day. If you charge a high rate for rush hour, then you'll encourage people to work off-hours, etc. Most subway systems have a rush hour rate. Why shouldn't highways? And a gas tax doesn't get around this. If you buy gas, and drive at 3:00 am, you're putting a lot less strain on the system then if you're driving at 5:00 pm. There's a limited supply. Only so many cars can be on the road at once. So price it accordingly.

[Coleus]

http://www.endtolls.com

You may get some help and ideas from them.

[gonewt]

Yeah, our 7.5% NC state income tax certainly isn't enough. They've got to raise more money for the children!

[Old Sarge]

I was a commercial driver out of Auburndale, FL. I used the FL Turnpike regularly, to avoid lost time in the construction.