Truckers name I-80 worst road, won't support remedy
9/30/07
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07273/821718-147.stm

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I don't support a toll road on I-80 either. This toll road crap is getting out of hand now. Even Virginia wants to make I-81 a toll road. Truckers pay enough highway usage taxes as it is. Of course trucks should pay more due to the weight issues and they DO already...but, making every freeway in America a toll road is not the answer. Heck, with global warming, shouldn't need all that much more salt anyway.

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Turning an existing roadway into a Toll Road seams to be an idea by politicians that isnt very well thought out. Lets see, we can make millions of $$ but first we have to spend billions of $$ to rebuild the existing infastructure to work as a toll road. We dont have the money to maintain the road in its current state but we can come up with the money to turn it into a toll road?

What about a bunch of other states that seem to have untolled interstates. The big one that comes to mind is I-5 all the way up and down Ca.

I 80 across IA, NE, WY, UT, NV and CA. And a couple of those states have low population for a tax base.

Tolls are just a lazy gooberment way of taxing the people over and over instead of stopping the gooberment waste.

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Yup, I agree. It burns my backside when I see a toll booth anywhere. Why should I have to pay toll to drive on a roadway that I paid for to begin with?
If they'd get it together and do a decent job with the maintenance in the first place, maybe it wouldn't cost a zillion dollars per year for repairs.
Then again, if wha they did made sense, it wouldn't be the gubment, would it?

Mr. Bowles,

You and I live in the Land O' Fruits & Nutz. Are you familiar with Highway 91 through Riverside and Orange Counties?

For those NOT aware, Highway 91 is VERY congested ALL the time. Improvements were needed, but how to pay for those improvements?

Riverside County increased gasoline taxes for the needed revenue to make those improvements in their county.
Orange County, on the other hand, had a BETTER idea.
At the border of the two counties, Orange County built a toll-road.
Considering MOST of the employment is located in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, Orange County has figured a way to pay for THEIR Hwy 91 improvements by charging Riverside County residents going to work, and back.

To make matters worse, the contract signed with CalTrans, wouldn't allow ANY additional lanes to be created that MIGHT take folks out of the toll lanes in favor of the FREE lanes. Keeping traffic congested.

Now, get this ------------
When TOO MANY folks decide to take the toll lanes, and the toll lanes become crowded, the tolls are RAISED to DISCOURAGE folks from using the toll lanes.
Does that make sense?
Other than grabbing ALL the money they can as quickly as possible.

The tolls vary depending on time of day. During rush times, the toll for a 10 mile trip is around $8.00 for a one way trip. Sixteen dollars a DAY for those using the toll lanes. Eighty dollars a week --- on TOP of $3.00 a gallon gas.

Has the traffic improved?
No.
Has the toll road powers that be bank accounts increased?
Yup!

Meanwhile, the Riverside County residents are paying for "improvements" in BOTH counties.
Highway robbery.
IMO

NOW, they're thinking about drilling a 13 mile long tunnel through the mountain ---- in Earthquake California.
If they decide to do that, we ought to see SOME relief in about 20-years. That is, at today's traffic rate.
In 20-years, the traffic will only be worse, and the tunnel will be obsolete before it's ever finished.
Go figure.

Have they finished working on 55 around Orange yet? The near 4 years I lived out there, it was being worked on the whole time.

To tell you the truth, I haven't been down thataway in awhile. But the last time I was it didn't look like it was near completion, but my room mate tells me it is finished.

However ----- I just read an article about the 22 Fwy (Garden Grove Fwy). The story begins,.........
"WHAT'S WITH The 22?
Freeway work still isn't done, leaving drivers with questions."

I don't recall the story containing any ANSWERS though.
You know, for the "drivers".
First to know and last to know.
Doncha know?

Yeah the traffic there is just ridiculous. I used to date a girl that lived in Rancho Cucamonga, and I lived in Costa Mesa. It was a nice 3 hour, 50 mile ride on a Friday evening. Gotta love that bottle neck at the 60,10, and (73?) around San Demas.