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I’ve never understood the point of publicly owned toll roads. They charge you gas and sales taxes to build the road and then they charge you a toll to use the road. Crazy.

Not to mention inefficient.

If I tried to defend toll roads, I would use the following points:

1. Some roads cost more than others. The Golden Gate Bridge or the Boston Tunnel ought to pay for it's construction and upkeep by those who use them.

2. Gasoline taxes punish those who live in the state. Strategically placed toll roads make sure that those who drive through your state pay something for the privilege. Skinny Delaware has a sizeable toll right at the border.

3. Multiple income streams are needed in case one of them dries up. If gasoline taxes are based as a percentage, a sudden drop in gasoline prices causes a sudden drop in revenue. Folks going to smaller, hybris or electric cars might also cause a drop in revenue.

4. In some cases tolls might divert traffic from a road to another road. I certainly took the Williamsburg Bridge more frequently, and the Triboro less in NYC for that reason.

5. Cities like Chicago don't sell much gasoline compared to the lower priced suburbs, so the tolls are strategically placed around the city and then disappear as you go downstate. Pure political power exercised by the Chicago pols. For me, it was one more reason to avoid going towards Chicago.

6. The policy wonks who want to track our comings and goings would promote the EX-Pass style system to catch terrorists/drug lords/dead beat dads/drunk drivers/speeders/etc. and help planning for future roads.