Posted on 09/05/2016 8:08:00 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
In the year 2042, something potentially significant to Central Florida motorists could happen.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority, which operates 109 miles of toll roads in Orange County, will have paid off its $4.3 billion in bonds.
But when the roads are paid for, what happens to the tolls? Many drivers would love to see them disappear.
"That would be a big break for a lot of people," said Steven Dewdney, an Orlando resident.
But because Central Florida has growing transportation needs and will need to build more roads and support commuter rail, removing tolls are unlikely, experts say.
The authority's 2040 preliminary plan is looking at building another 80 miles of roadways with a projected cost of $3.2 billion to $4.5 billion. Many details are not yet available, but it may widen the BeachLine Expressway and parts of State Road 429 as well as build roads in east Orange and Osceola counties.
As transportation coffers are hamstrung by low gas tax revenues, toll dollars are increasingly seen as the new key for funding construction. Authorities across the country have paid for other transportation projects using toll dollars, and some Central Florida toll board members expressed openness to the idea.
Looking at other options for transportation dollars is a "long-range goal of ours," said Welton Cadwell, chairman for the authority. "We're open to any other options that can enhance our users and the folks who aren't using the system."
The Central Florida authority is the second-biggest regional tolling authority in the country, according to federal data. It collected $350 million in toll revenues in its 2015 fiscal year, an 80 percent increase from its 2006 revenues, and that is forecast to keep rising.
In Central Florida, such funding could be especially relevant.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
They just roll those bonds into other bonds and the original intent to drain the swamp is long forgotten.
Are you thinking of 528? 408 dead ends onto 50 nowhere near the East Coast. 50 is a toll road but you get to pay in time, not money. :-(
I guess if you want to go anywhere, you’re just going to have to walk like an Egyptian (way-oh, way-oh).
Tolls are another tool to herd the proles to the “proper” behavior, i.e live in high density urban areas (rathole apartment buildings) and ride buses or trains from where your betters want to live to where they want you to go.
They’ve hired hundreds of people to manage the tolls and would hate to fire them...
1. It's the closest thing to a "user fee" that governments have. It generates revenue from the road users, and gives a highway authority a source of money that doesn't have to compete with other spending from general tax revenues.
2. It gives the highway authority a lot of flexibility to run their system like a responsible private business owner would -- through things like variable tolling, discounts for electronic tolling, etc.
3. It allows the highway authority to have its own bonding capacity and its own bond rating, separate from a fiscally irresponsible government.
4. It gives a state or municipal government a mechanism for collecting revenue from people and businesses outside its jurisdiction who use its infrastructure and services. This is an important consideration for small states with a lot of long-distance traffic passing through it.
Personally, I think toll roads are going to become more common -- but they are also going to offer more benefits to their users. Ohio, for example, is looking at ways to make the Ohio Turnpike more attractive to motorists and truckers -- by potentially allowing higher speed limits, heavier weight limits, or a combination of both.
If the commuter rail system needs subsidy from the highway toll, get rid of the rail system. Econ 101.
Wow, this is good news for me. I will be 102 in 2042 and can ride FREE!
Actually, I don’t mind paying the tolls. I use the roads and don’t like driving I-4 so I avoid it when able.
HAHAHAHA! By law the Massachusetts Turnpike was to have been paid off in 1977. Today, in 2016, it is still a toll road, paying comfortable lives for an army of government parasites.
state road 528(formerly known as the Beeline now known as the Beachline) that connected Orlando to the east coast(brevard county) was a toll road...it still is. However, the deal was when the road was paid off, the tolls were supposed to come down. In the 80’s the road was paid off, however, The folks in charge said we need the money to continue to pay for other roads and upkeep. Brevard residents said no. They then said we have to keep it up to pay for the toll booth demolition. My understanding was that a resident of brevard county that owned a construction crew said he would do it for free and he did! Brevard has had no tolls since then! Yeah, brevard!
Orange County still has their tolls on 528 along with a to. Of other toll roads.
Actually, I think I was morphing the two, LOL. Been quite a few years since I’ve been there.
> support commuter rail
Toll autos to support a train. How about a toll on trains to support autos?
Sorry - mistyped this. 50 is NOT a toll road (but you pay in time anyway).
> It gives a state or municipal government a mechanism for collecting revenue from people and businesses outside its jurisdiction who use its infrastructure and services. This is an important consideration for small states with a lot of long-distance traffic passing through it.
Interstates should not be tolled.
Like the “temporary” tax on telephones to help finance the war. It was ended in 2006. Oh, the war that the tax was for was the Spanish American War.
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