Pa to make Inter 79 a toll road

[skeets]

Yup ,, we already have the highest gas tax inthe country,, yes more than Ca ,, and now because of the covid thing, the state PENNDOT needs more money because people are not driving enough to boost the coffers. As of right now PENNDOT wants to put a 1 or 2 dollar toll on 9 of the bridges on I 79 to cover repairs the first on south of Pittsburgh near Bridgeville ,, and they want this toll for the next 30 years. Will these people ever stop???

 

[Kennyd4110]

It won't stop....someone has to pay for all the free programs.

 

[Poohbear]

It won't stop....someone has to pay for all the free programs.

Bet the toll goes straight into the general fund.
How is this not a violation of the Fed funding of Interstate Hwys ? Ain't socialism great, it doesn't help anybody just makes all the peasants equally miserable.

 

[dirtydeed]

Skeets, funny that you posted this (well, not funny at all). I just read this am that the state is considering tolls on several interstates (at bridges) to make up some ridiculous PenDot shortfall. It looks like despite what we pay in ridiculous fuel taxes, it still isn't enough.

PennDOT released its list of nine highway bridges Thursday being considered for tolling under a new program to fund bridge repair projects across the state.

The full list of interstate bridges being considered for tolling:

• I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project (Berks County)
• I-79 Widening, Bridges and Bridgeville Interchange Reconfiguration (Allegheny County)
• I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges (Clarion County)
• I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges (Luzerne County);
• I-80 North Fork Bridges Project (Jefferson County);
• I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridge Project (Luzerne and Carbon counties);
• I-81 Susquehanna Project (Susquehanna County);
• I-83 South Bridge Project (Dauphin County); and
• I-95 Girard Point Bridge Improvement Project (Philadelphia County)

 

[D2Cat]

NO- is the short answer.

 

[NHSleddog]

I thought PA voted for all these decision makers?

 

[ridgerunner85]

I thought PA voted for all these decision makers?

Two cities in the state voted for these “decision makers”.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Any body got any ideas as to how to pay for road repairs? Our state legislature vetoed the idea of raising the fuel tax, we don't seem to have toll roads, and so we have overpasses that are visibly crumbling. Wear a hard hat while driving under them.

 

[BigG]

How about fixing the system instead of just raising the taxes/tolls? Giving more money to a corrupt system is not going to fix the system. Term limits, line item veto, and the removal of lobbyist from inside the legislature would be a good start.

 

[jajiu]

Not to worry, Pete Butagig, or however you spell it, wants a 'mileage tax' to take care of it all. The MA toll road (I-90) no longer has toll booths, just overhead cameras all along the road to keep track of everyone. If you don't have an EZ-pass, they mail you a bill with a surcharge.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Will electric cars pay the same toll?

 

[Tughill Tom]

Will electric cars pay the same toll?

Tat-Dar...... You win this round! Of course they won't.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Will electric cars pay the same toll?

The tax collected on fuel is among the highest in the nation here in Pennsylvania. I am not sure they have spelled out how they will manage down the road with that income stream compromised. Probably balance it out by defunding the police as many recommend. Maybe if political office paid more you might get a more capable and qualified government.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Ontario has ONE toll road, HWY $407. It was paid for by taxpayers money. Ontario SOLD the righst to it and now some FOREIGN country is collecting the tolls !! Ontario still snowplows the TOLL road as well as enforce speed 'issues'.
I've wondered that since the toll road is part of a foreign country WHY are LLEOs ticketing speeders ?
To add further insult.... if you do NOT pay your tolls, you CANNOT get your car's 'tag' next year !!!!

 

[NHSleddog]

To me, the closer you are to a city, the less capable of "life" you tend to be (taken out by toilet paper for instance). So in my world, the closer you lived to a population density, the less the vote would count. I'm sure we could come up with a pretty accurate algorithm to even out the mob rules aspect.

It is crazy looking at the last red election map with the few blue spots on it how little of the country actually want Joe Xiden.

 

[NHSleddog]

Any body got any ideas as to how to pay for road repairs? Our state legislature vetoed the idea of raising the fuel tax, we don't seem to have toll roads, and so we have overpasses that are visibly crumbling. Wear a hard hat while driving under them.

Your state already takes over 5 BILLION a year to "fix" your roads. The rest of us Americans chip in over a billion a year for MI roads as well. You mean to tell me they have not been fixing the roads with it? It has been going on (taking BILLIONS to fix the roads) for years and years, they should have a plan by now?

I feel bad for Maine. They have a lot of roads and not a lot of people to help pay to care for them. At least in MI you have millions of people to share the load.

 

[Daren Todd]

Any body got any ideas as to how to pay for road repairs? Our state legislature vetoed the idea of raising the fuel tax, we don't seem to have toll roads, and so we have overpasses that are visibly crumbling. Wear a hard hat while driving under them.

Our state voted to extend a current tax that was set to expire, that went towards road upgrades and maintenance. There are several roads and bridges that need upgrades and repairs.

It's a minor .5 percent tax, believe it was a sales tax.

I've lived in areas that had toll roads. I'm really not a big fan of them. It was $10 a day in tolls for the 20 minute drive to work. Or an hour plus drive with 60 or so stoplights.

 

[hagrid]

In before the padlock.

AND... I'll just use the Southpointe exit and drive up Morganza Rd. Or something. Screw their tolls. I dont drive on 43 for the same reason.

 

[D2Cat]

I remember in the early '70's there was a toll road from the north side of Denver on I-25 that went to Boulder. I think that road was called the Denver Boulder Turnpike. I remember when they removed the toll booths and quit charging. Don't know how they did it, but they did.

It's the only toll road I am aware of that ever got paid for and quit charging daily.

" The Denver-Boulder Turnpike was championed by business and university interests in Boulder due to there being no direct route between Denver and Boulder.[8] The 17.3-mile (27.8 km) toll road stretched from Federal Boulevard (US 287) in Westminster to Baseline Road in Boulder, and opened on January 19, 1952 with a toll of $0.25."

 

[lugbolt]

if they want it, they're going to get it. Might not be fuel tax or toll road but they'll get it somehow. Tack it on somewhere else.

Insurance company did a deal where they charged according to mileage driven. People quit driving and they weren't making no money so out went that deal. Gas prices are rising (was expected) and people will start driving less once it gets up above $3/gal again. They buy less fuel, then less tax income generated, then the government is back to griping because they ain't got the money to fix potholes. But I guarantee you that the parking lots at the capital are top notch; as are the roads that lead to elected officials' personal homes. Funny how that works. My brother ratted one of them out locally and got somewhere with it. They tried to sweep it under the rug but he wouldn't drop the rug over the trash, left it open for everyone to enjoy. Probably didn't do himself any favors.