(IL)Governor wants to overhaul toll system, change rates

Chicago Tribune ^ | August 25, 2004 | Mike Colias

[Rutles4Ever]

Governor wants to overhaul toll system, change rates

Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed a major overhaul of the state's tollway system Wednesday that would eliminate congested toll plazas and rebuild 274 miles of roads but also raise rates for truckers and drivers not using an electronic I-PASS.

Blagojevich said the 10-year, $5.3 billion plan would reduce traffic jams for the tollway's 1.3 million daily users, saving commuters time and money.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

A royal pain in the butt for out-of-staters who won't buy an I-Pass (and shouldn't have to).

BINGO!!!! We have a winner.............

[axiom9]

Damn you. I was making $5 a pop for that secret.

:)

I don't mind paying tolls. It's how you should finance highways. The people that use them, pay for them.

[GallopingGhost]

which is what we heard about the crock untangling of the Hillside Strangler bottleneck (which only served to move it up to Manheim Road...)

We used to call it "The Birth Canal" when it was a single lane. The bigger problem is the left hand exits at Harlem and Austin. Any discussion of fixing the toll roads starts and ends with the distruction of the Kennedy toll booth west of O'Hare. Woe be the reverse commuter trying to get home on a Friday afternoon.

[AmishDude]

The problem is that in many states (as with the Federal government), gasoline taxes cannot be used for roadway maintenance -- they are specifically intended to be used for capital projects, not ongoing maintenance.

By my calculations, that should be 300,000 miles of golden highways.

[bigbob]

ex-Gov George "I AM a Crook" Ryan also took a swing at the tool authority, but didn't change anything. While it does make some sense to at least offer an incentive for using I-PASS, they should REDUCE fares for I-PASS because it saves them money. (Can you imagine how many sacks of coins they have to haul to the bank?)

Those new roads will damn sure not be built anywhere outside of the Chicago area. Extending 355 is just another attempt to justify the stupid new airport in Will County.

Blago couldn't even sell off the Taj Mahal toll authority office building. This is just more political BS.

[Clemenza]

The tolls were not supposed to last forever. They were supposed to end some time ago.

It was a native son of my home state, Robert Moses, who was the first to discover the tolls as a source of permanent revenue.

[technochick99]

Unless somethings changed recently, the $50 includes $40 in tolls, the device is $10.

I got mine years ago and there was a deposit of $40. Does yours have a digital display of the amount of money left in your account?

[IncPen]

If you're coming from southbound I-294, or traveling on southbound I-290, take the Manheim exit feeder, which runs parallel to I-290, then spits you back out at the Manheim bridge. You'll bypass a chunk of the bottleneck...

I'll do you one better.

When eastbound traffic is backed up going into the city, get off at 25th and ride the 'frontage' road up to 17th.

THAT's a timesaver, even with the stoplights

_{Now that I've typed that, I wonder if I got the exits right... since we moved I don't use the Eisenhower any more. Oh well, the idea is valid... jump off and coast!}

[Rutles4Ever]

Thanks for the tip -- I'll give it a try!

[Rutles4Ever]

I came out of O'Hare the other day at 5:45 PM, and it was backed up to the International Terminal. It looked like an eternity to get to S-bound 294. I took the Manheim exit and took Irving Park to Rt. 83 instead, which took all of ten minutes.

[reg45]

The best way to get almost everyone to use I-Pass would be to discount the recharges. For example, $35 buys $40 in tolls.

[reg45]

I paid $50 for my IPASS unit.

That $50 includes $40 worth of tolls.

[The Old Hoosier]

Actually, I have to say I like the idea of toll hikes, if they are accompanied by a reduction in tax rates. Much better to make people pay for the services they use.

[endthematrix]

""

Just go faster, everyone else does! I find 85mph avg on IL toll roads. Les than that you start to get scared the old ladies are gong to ram ya off the road!

[endthematrix]

"all drivers will be required to get an I-Pass unit"

Don't let that get under your skin...pun intended! For information on tollway automation and that RFID device:

U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

RFID: Tracking everything, everywhere

VeriChip

[RocketWolf]

Sticker pasted on many of the first toll machines on the first IL tollway many years back:

The coin you drop into this slot
Supports my graft, so thanks a lot

Mayor Daley

[GallopingGhost]

I'll do you one better.

You can actually get off at Mannheim and use side streets south of the highway all the way down to 7th I believe. South on Mannheim, take the first left, then take the second left and a right and you are on the frontage road all the way to 7th. There a couple of stop signs but it is way faster than a clogged Ike. Never try to get on at 1st avenue though, it is the longest light in the free world.

[IncPen]

Has Governor Blaggy concisdered that this scheme will impact the poor most of all?

Who among the downtrodden can afford an iPass? They can barely meet the confiscatory demands of the IEPA

Isn't it reverse-progressive taxation?

Hmm?