Posted on 12/08/2018 8:54:40 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Northern Indiana lawmakers are calling into question Gov. Eric Holcomb’s decision against imposing new tolls on the state’s interstate highways, while allowing the Indiana Toll Road’s private operator to significantly boost rates for large trucks using that highway.
Democratic Sen. Karen Tallian of Portage tells the South Bend Tribune that the situation is unfair because only the communities in northern Indiana along the Toll Road will have the burden of higher tolls, while all parts of the state will benefit from the toll money.
The Republican governor announced in September that the operator of the Toll Road, which runs across the northern part of the state from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line, would increase tolls by 35 percent in exchange for $1 billion for state infrastructure improvements over the next several years.
Holcomb’s plan directs $600 million toward speeding up the completion of the Interstate 69 extension between Indianapolis and Martinsville in central Indiana, but his administration maintains northern Indiana will get a fair share of the infrastructure spending.
State officials last month completed a plan on adding tolls to Indiana’s interstate system. But Holcomb said he believed fuel tax and vehicle registration fee increases approved by the General Assembly last year will sufficiently fund the state’s current road construction projects even though highway revenues are projected to start dropping after 2025.
“I’m happy that the governor isn’t looking at expanding tolling,” said Democratic Sen. David Niezgodski of South Bend. “But you have to believe people up here are getting fed up with seeing their money taken and distributed across the state.”
(Excerpt) Read more at tribtown.com ...
Traffic is actually up, and it will continue to be, even with higher tolls.. but they aren’t going to grow anywhere near projections...
The Turnpike is an alternate route around Philly... it will always have traffic... its a major interstate there.... And it will always have longer range traffic for folks who have to go through PA.. but the rates are having an effect... growth simply be tied to population growth...
Traffic will likely never actually DECLINE in raw numbers, but the percentage of people using it, will indeed drop and secondary routes will get busier....
The problem is the legislature (republican controlled) with a Democrat Governor passed Act 44, which required $450 MILLION A year out of the turnpike... which originally was supposed to just be for the turnpike... but of course was later changed to fund public transportation... This grand vision was originally when Fast Eddie was pushing for 80 to be toll as well... (which wasn’t going to and didn’t happen) but the turnpike still has to pay the state 450Million a year.. period... So... they simply have raised rates astronomically ... well over 100% in the last 10 years.
The problem is politicians (REPUBLICANS!!!) with a democratic governor, demanded nearly 1/2 a BILLION a year out of the Turnpike... and you can’t do that without raising rates.. a system that was making maybe 50 Million a year more than expenses, is now required to make nearly 1/2 a BILLION a year....
The contribution I believe legally drops sometime in the 2020s back down to 50 Million... but I am sure the politicians will just raise it when those slush fund dollars are in jeopardy.
PA has the highest tolls per mile, and highest gas tax in the nation per gallon... and its had a Republican controlled legislature for decades...
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