Posted on 07/17/2010 8:56:06 AM PDT by Willie Green
E-ZPass customers will get price break over those paying cash
A toll increase on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in January likely will make it the most expensive long toll road in the nation.
The turnpike commission on Wednesday approved a 3 percent increase for users of E-ZPass electronic fare collection and 10 percent for cash customers, effective Jan. 2.
That will raise the cash cost of driving the turnpike to 8.5 cents per mile, highest of the 11 U.S. toll roads of 100 miles or longer. Currently, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes are tied at 7.7 cents per mile.
Shorter toll facilities, including highway spurs and bridges, typically have higher per-mile costs. A March survey by the Pennsylvania Turnpike found 10 facilities with per-mile rates of 27.8 cents or more, including a 6-mile highway in California whose users pay 45.8 cents per mile.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike has ascended to the top among longer toll roads largely because of a 2007 state law requiring it to help fund non-turnpike transportation programs. Since then, the turnpike has given the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation $2.5 billion to pay for highway and bridge work and mass transit.
That amount is the equivalent of more than three years' worth of turnpike toll income. The turnpike took in $700 million last year.
The law, Act 44, envisioned a stream of revenue from higher turnpike tolls and new tolls on Interstate 80 flowing from the commission to PennDOT.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
I’ve driven about 20,000 miles on Ohio and PA trunpikes this year. What is tuly amazing given the cost of the poor quality of the rest area.
And one day, my EZ pass just up and quit working. Since I forgot cash, I had to go inside and sign a promisory note to send a check. The guy told me that sometimes EZ Pass quits working when it’s raining.
I said “Dude, you’ve had this stuff for 20 years and can’t figure out how to make it work in the rain?”
I was living a few states away form my family after a job loss and new career. We’re back together now so the marathon drives are about over.
Here’s one for you though. The McHenry tunnel in Maryland is $2.00. I went through the other day with a truck towing a car on a car dolly. The cost was $9.00. Bunch of commies.
Instead,he decided to raise our sales tax by 20%.Now *that's* what I call respecting the will of the people.
There's nothing inherent in "infrastructure" which makes it unprofitable to own and operate. The incomptetence and corruption of public ownership are merely poor substitutes for the efficiencies and discipline of the private market.
“I’ve driven about 20,000 miles on Ohio and PA trunpikes this year. What is tuly amazing given the cost of the poor quality of the rest area.
And one day, my EZ pass just up and quit working. Since I forgot cash, I had to go inside and sign a promisory note to send a check. The guy told me that sometimes EZ Pass quits working when it’s raining.
I said “Dude, you’ve had this stuff for 20 years and can’t figure out how to make it work in the rain?”
I was living a few states away form my family after a job loss and new career. We’re back together now so the marathon drives are about over.
Here’s one for you though. The McHenry tunnel in Maryland is $2.00. I went through the other day with a truck towing a car on a car dolly. The cost was $9.00. Bunch of commies.”
I have family in Western Pa and got caught in the trap at the eastern end of the Ohio turnpike trying to get back into the New Castle area (Fortunately I had a lot of coins) they destroyed the place! what a beautiful piece of country it used to be.
Gosh Willie, the Indiana Toll Road is privately operated, charges 40% less per car mile than the Pennsylvania Turnpike and makes a profit
Indiana taxpayers got swindled on that privatization scam.
They're looking at automatic toll increases every July for the next 71 YEARS with not a single penny going to help pay for their other roads.
Drivers paying more to use Indiana Toll Road
Prior to "privatization", the toll hadn't been raised for over 20 years!
After privatization, Indiana Toll Road's biggest difference is the price
ELKHART, Ind. – The welcome signs still say "Indiana." The truck stops sell the same greasy hamburgers. And the road still carries thousands of drivers daily across the far northern part of the state between Ohio and Illinois.
But motorists on the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road have noticed one big difference since it came into private hands: They are paying higher tolls for the first time since 1985.
Fees for cash-paying car motorists who drive the whole road nearly doubled recently. Truckers pay even more. Toll rates, which the state partially regulates, are expected to double again within 10 years.
Every Cent of the rent is applied to infrastucture projects, with $2.6 Billion of it applied to statewide highway improvements.
Excellent page. Thanks for the link.
Highway certified golf carts are OK, but you put a bicycle on any paved public thoroughfare and you get howls from the "you aren't paying taxes to use this road" brigade.
Again, Willie, you're wholly misinformed, the private operators paid the State of Indiana $3.8 Billion for the lease.Which was less than 1/3 of what it was actually worth.
“Highway tolls... another good reason to upgrade passenger rail service across Pennsylvania!!! “
...and make the Turnpike drivers pay for that too...LOL.
“With either gasoline taxes or tolls, users of roads pay for the roads. Nothing new, except for questions about how efficiently, or not, the PA Turnpike Authority does its job.”
From the article, it’s more than clear that the state looks at the Turnpike as a “Revenue Engine” to finance other crap. There is NOTHING that the Turnpike alone could do to substantially lower tolls - unless state law is changed.
“Pennsylvania got screwed with I-80. It was built with federal money, but the state was mandated to maintain it.”
Slight correction: “but the state AGREED to maintain it”
Just like EVERY other Interstate built with federal money.
You guys are CRY BABIES.
But let's assume you're right. If the state weas operating an asset at break even which the market recognizes as worth $11.4 Billion Dollars in private hands, what does that tell you about the difference between the efficiency of government vs. private operation?
They agreed to maintain it, but they didn’t expect to have to virtually rebuild it after ten or fifteen years. The road bed was inadequate and the concrete slabs started tilting and breaking up from the truck traffic. It took about a decade ( the 80’s ) to finish the repairs. I don’t know what kind of deals were worked out to finance it, but I do remember that it was a big issue.
What do I do with my guns?
“They agreed to maintain it, but they didn’t expect to have to virtually rebuild it after ten or fifteen years.”
I SERIOUSLY doubt that the feds ran the project. In any case, they could have simply refused the money at the time...if it was going to be cost them a few bucks.
Finally, I also think they WAY OVER-EXAGGERATED the cost of fixing the highway (as in the percent of their state budget - maybe 0.35 or something) - in order to get their tolling scheme started.
Rural highways are CHEAP, and they are very cheap after the right of way has been cleared and graded...and they still had that.
“But let’s assume you’re right. If the state weas operating an asset at break even which the market recognizes as worth $11.4 Billion Dollars in private hands, what does that tell you about the difference between the efficiency of government vs. private operation? “
To me it says that the state is allowing ITS PEOPLE to enjoy the economic benefit of the highway. Is that so bad?
Pretty much what you’re saying is that the feds should sell off the Grand Canyon to China, since the feds don’t receive the full value of the land.
So - but I’m not into that those schemes.
Hoosiers use the Indiana tollroad hardly at all. It chief benefit to this state was that it generated $3.8 Billion in lease revenue, allowing the State of Indiana to maintain fiscal stability and infrastructure at a time when our neighboring states have become economic basket cases.
“Hoosiers use the Indiana tollroad hardly at all. It chief benefit to this state was that it generated $3.8 Billion in lease revenue, allowing the State of Indiana to maintain fiscal stability and infrastructure at a time when our neighboring states have become economic basket cases.”
...and people will pay the cost for this financial-high for the next 80 years.
Whatever - if it wasn’t part of the Interstate system, I could care less what you did with it. It was a STUPID MISTAKE 50 years ago to grandfather toll roads into the system, simply because GREEDY governors might use them as revenue engines, thereby making a mess of interstate commerce. The more this happens, the less competitive this country becomes, as shipping stuff interstate becomes a having to deal with a bunch of tariffs.
Allowing the marketplace to determine the value of interstate highway travel is no more inefficient than allowing it to determine the value of rail or pipeline transportation.
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.