The tolls would go to mass transit projects in Philly and Pittsburgh, neither of which comes within 100 miles of I-80.
Posted on 03/13/2010 7:33:32 AM PST by Willie Green
Seems like the obvious step is to raise SEPTA tolls by $120 million instead of having a cross-country trucker subsidize commuter fares in Philly.
So 350 million from the tolls will go for transportation
350 million originally going for transportation will now go for something else
No tolls1
The taxes never stop coming. Philly’s mayor Nutter is proposing a 2 cent per ounce tax on soda. Next is the air we breathe!
The tolls would go to mass transit projects in Philly and Pittsburgh, neither of which comes within 100 miles of I-80.
Elections have consequences, folks! Stop the bull$&it that there is no difference between Dems and Republicans!
‘zackly. The fuel tax should cover the road cost.
Don't know about the local economy but tolls will definitely screw up surface traffic along state highways that parallel the interstate. It happens here in Ohio-- evey time they raise the turnpike tolls, local traffic gets worse. Big semis barreling down country roads. Great.
Every 50 miles or so, I gotta' gear down andf pay a toll?
but tolls will definitely screw up surface traffic along state highways that parallel the interstate. It happens here in Ohio-- evey time they raise the turnpike tolls, local traffic gets worse.
Local state highways are an option in Ohio because Ohio is relatively flat. But to travel across Pennsylvania, in any kind of reasonable time, you really only have two options: I-80 or the Turnpike (I-70/76).
Yeah... you'll see other east/west highways on the map, like US-30, US-422 or US-6... but I wouldn't recommend taking them through the mountains if you're in any kind of hurry. LOL!
Guv Spendell ping.
As a citizen of Williamsport, this affects our area greatly. We have beaten Rendell twice already, but now with Obama in office, the chances of the DOT approving the tolls is higher.
The citizens of Williamsport will benefit because most of the toll revenue will be collected from out-of-state thru-traffic.
And collecting tolls on I-80 is infinitely preferable to their bonehead idea to tax natural gas wells.
Tourism is a decent industry here. Tolls on I-80 will retard the tourism industry.
ping
One thing I hate about these long distance toll roads is the toll plaza rest areas. The exits are few and far between and if you want to stop and get gas and something to eat, you have to use a toll plaza or pay extra tolls to get on and off the highway. The toll plazas are overpriced with limited choices and the McDonalds doesn’t accept coupons. Their prices were significantly higher than a non-toll plaza McDonalds.
Tourism is a decent industry here. Tolls on I-80 will retard the tourism industry.
While in Williamsport, visitors should be advised to also see nearby Ricketts Glen State Park on PA 487 (no toll)
Ricketts Glen is famous for it's many beautiful waterfalls.
Although approved as a National Park in the 1930s, federal funding fell through due to WW-II.
Tolls on I-80 will not deter tourists from visiting your attractions.
If anything, tolls will help keep out the travelling trailer-trash and other litterbug riff-raff.
The tolls are unpopular along most of the I-80 route in Pennsylvania because (1) most of that route is very rural and while it does serve east and west bound interstate travel and truck shipping, it also provides a major route between the rural towns nearest to it, and (2) the main purpose of the tolls IS NOT for I-80 and those living nearest to it, but for “mass transit” systems in the populous eastern edge of the state.
Now then, if Pennsylvania sold it’s stretch of I-80 to a private interest, a private interest who established tolls along it, then Pennsylvania could designate the tax revenue it got from that private company however it wanted to.
The biggest losers in either case are likely to be the residents of the rural towns along I-80, at least those who have come to depend on it, depend on it without tolls.
Now then, if Pennsylvania sold it’s stretch of I-80 to a private interest, a private interest who established tolls along it, then Pennsylvania could designate the tax revenue it got from that private company however it wanted to.
Highway "privatization" is a corrupt scam that enables private swindlers to usurp public property and skim the monopolistic toll revenue into their own pockets.
Pennsylvania taxpayers are infinitely better off by retaining taxpayer ownership of their highways, and retaining every penny of the tolls that they pay to themselves.
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