'Keep Freeways Free' Legislation Introduced
In 2007, the PA legislature passed Act 44 that calls for converting Interstate 80 into a tolled facility. A freshman PA Congressman, continuing in his predecessor's footsteps, introduced a bill to ensure that never occurs.
"US Representative Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) last week introduced HR 1071, the Keeping America's Freeways Free Act, which is designed to prohibit any new efforts to collect tolls on an interstate.
Thompson succeeded Representative John Peterson (R), one of the staunchest opponents of tolling in Congress. Thompson vowed to keep up the federal pressure against efforts to allow a foreign corporation to toll Interstate 80, a route that cuts across the Keystone State."
[Correspondent's note: Last year, Peterson introduced H.R. 3510 "to prohibit the imposition and collection of tolls on certain highways constructed using Federal funds". The PA legislature passed Act 44 in July 2007 as an alternative to leasing the PA Turnpike. It was signed into law by Gov. Rendell. Act 44 includes converting I-80 to a tolled facility.]
"US Representative Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) joined as an original co-sponsor of the freeway tolling ban. It mirrors legislation introduced in the previous Congress by US Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas)."
- GovTrack: HR 1071
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission - Tolling I-80
- PTC: Tolling I-80 application process (pdf)
- Planetizen: Senate Blocks Toll Road Conversions In Texas
- Houston Chronicle: Hutchison Moves to Block Toll Plan (pdf)
- theNewspaper.com: Toll Road Profit Tumbles for Transurban
- theNewspaper.com: Fitch Goes Negative on California Toll Roads
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Oh yeah, this is brilliant. Let's ban tolls. Then we can eliminate the gas tax. Then we will end all corporate taxes. Next we will get rid of income taxes. And when people ask why we can't afford to fill in the potholes or repave our highways, we can tell them that government would only make these problems worse. We should be suspicious of government attempts to "fix" our roadways because they will just end up wasting our hard earned money for thier "pork" projects of resurfacing, bridge construction and interchange improvement. We would rather keep our money so we can buy bobbleheads and video games. Don't ask how the trucks will get them to us over crumbling roads. Nevermind that we won't be able to get to work except by horse or monster 4X4. If people really want decent roads then the private market will provide them - for a TOLL!!!!!!!!!
The philosophy of everything for nothing has bankrupted itself. It's time to follow a more sensible path of pay-as-you-go.