Toll Roads

The I.O.U. Tollbooth

The Northwest Parkway in Denver has very little traffic in the wee hours, so officials decided to experiment with I.O.U. forms left at the booth.

April 9, 2009 - TOLLROADSnews

Opinion: Beware Toll Road Privatization

Author, WSJ columnist and Huffington Post blogger Thomas Frank cautions against the public-private partnerships that are leasing public toll roads, warning that it isn't in the public interest; that they will become affordable only to the wealthy.

February 4, 2009 - The Huffington Post

Last-Minute Bush Decision Paves Way For Privatization

An obscure new rule pushed through the Federal Highway Administration requires public toll roads to collect 'fair market value' from drivers, rather than to serve the public interest.

January 24, 2009 - On The Commons

LaHood Appears Before Senate Panel

Secretary of Transportation appointee Ray LaHood spoke to the Senate today about Amtrak, toll roads, and sustainability.

January 22, 2009 - Grist

San Francisco Weighs Congestion Pricing Options

Officials in San Francisco will be presented with reports today on possible ways to integrate congestion pricing and toll zones into the city. If approved, San Francisco would be the first city in the nation to implement congestion pricing.

November 25, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

HOT & Green Proposal For Illinois Tollway

What do you get when you designate a carpool lane on a toll road for hybrids and carpoolers? A 'green' lane, say Illinois planners. However, they still pay the toll. Now add a "HOT lane overlay" to it - solo drivers can use it for a 'premium'.

October 17, 2008 - Chicago Sun-Times

'Tolls Not Gas Tax', Says Bush

Keep gas and diesel taxes stable and add new road tolls and private investment, and the road funding deficit will be solved, according to the new Bush transportation plan released July 30.

July 31, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

Sierra Club Opposes Use of HOV Lanes By Paying Customers

Houston's MTA is planning to allow drivers to pay a toll to use the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on their freeways, and the local Sierra Club chapter is speaking out against the plan.

July 23, 2008 - The Houston Chronicle

Dreaming of a Superhighway Across Maine

Officials in Maine are considering a plan to build a cross-state superhighway.

June 9, 2008 - The Ellsworth American

First Toll on a Surface Road Under Consideration

A suburb of Dallas ponders charging a toll on a surface road, perhaps the first such plan for a surface road in the United States.

June 8, 2008 - WFAA

L.A. Transit Chief Calls for Highway Tolls

In this opinion piece, Roger Snoble of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority discusses why the region's mobility would benefit from toll lanes on highways.

May 6, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Debating L.A.'s Growth, Traffic and Transit

The Transit Coalition's Bart Reed and USC planning Professor Peter Gordon debate transit and traffic in L.A. in this five-part point-counterpoint series.

May 6, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

L.A. Offered Funding, With Toll Road Ultimatum

The federal government is tempting officials in Los Angeles County with more than $200 million in transportation funding -- but only if the county converts some highway lanes to congestion pricing toll lanes.

April 25, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Leasing Toll Roads: Learning From Indiana

While experts now say that the lease term Indiana agreed to was too long, and the payment it received in return too small, so far all parties appear to be better off –- the road, the drivers, the toll takers, the Governor, and the state.

April 15, 2008 - The New York Times

California Needs Rail, Not Roads

The recent vote against a new toll freeway in Orange County signals that California's don't want more roads. Instead, transportation dollars should go to building the state's high-speed rail system.

April 5, 2008 - The Sacramento Bee

'Make My Day' Meets 'Hasta La Vista'

In a classic Hollywood showdown that could only happen in California politics, Gov. Schwarzenegger axed actor-director-former Carmel, CA mayor Clint Eastwood from the Parks Commission at the expiration of his term after his 'no-vote' on a toll road.

March 21, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Comprehensive Tolling Idea Meet Criticism in D.C.

A proposal to place tolls on many of the highways around Washington D.C. is being blasted by critics, who say planners should place more emphasis on providing better transit services than charging commuters left with few options.

March 21, 2008 - The Washington Post

Replacing Transit with Toll Roads

The Department of Transportation under President Bush has placed an emphasis on market-based measures such as toll roads to alleviate congestion, and this has public transit advocates worried that the Federal government sees no role for transit.

March 17, 2008 - The Washington Post

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