Missouri lawmakers consider tolls for I-70

[iris27]

JEFFERSON CITY | -- Missouri Department of Transportation Director Kevin Keith paints a grim picture of the future of Interstate 70, the state’s busiest highway.

In less than 20 years, “I-70 is going to be a gravel parking lot,” Keith told a joint legislative transportation committee this week. “The option of doing nothing is not there. We can’t keep going the way we are.”

Even now, traffic on I-70 runs fine “as long as we don’t have an accident or work on it,” Keith said. “But if we do either of those, traffic gets backed up for 10 miles.”

MoDOT’s proposed solution, however, is proving divisive. The agency wants legislators to give it permission to enter into a public-private partnership that would turn I-70 into a toll road.

The rest: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/18/3377955/missouri-lawmakers-consider-tolls.html

The proposed tolls would amount to $20-$30 for a single car going from STL to KC...even more for an 18-wheeler. I agree with the trucking association president quoted later in the article, raising the gas tax to fund improvements on 70 would make much more sense. Missouri's gas tax is one of the lower ones in the nation, and is often used to help balance the general budget rather than funding road maintenance/improvements.

Here in TX, basically every new road built is a toll road, and it sucks. Traffic is ridiculous because no one wants to pay the tolls, so the free highways are jammed. Austin's population is much smaller than that of St. Louis, but its rush hours are MUCH worse. I really hope my beloved home state doesn't start down this path.

[iris27]

2. Apparently they can if the US Dept. of Transportation gives the OK, which they have in this case.

"With the U.S. Department of Transportation granting Missouri authority to convert I-70 into a toll road, the window of opportunity has opened," (MODOT Director Kevin Keith) pointed out.

[iris27]

6. I have absolutely no clue. n/t

[xmas74]

3. I'm not sure how it can be done

but the legislative has been discussing this for the past year. They claim they can do it.

[xmas74]

4. I-70 is less than 15 miles from my home.

Guess I won't be using it much anymore. I hate dealing with tolls.

I'd rather pay a bit more in gas tax.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. The tolls are way too high

I can't be the only one not willing to pay $25 to drive to St. Louis. That's ridiculous. And what about trucks? They'll just take I-80 and go through Iowa.

A couple years ago, we took highway 50 and ended up in wine country south of I-70. It was a beautiful drive - and much of it was 4 lane. I'll do that again rather than pay a toll.

In Kansas, we've had a turnpike for as long as I can remember but it isn't close to being this expensive. It only costs a couple dollars to drive from KC to Topeka.

[RC]

8. More privatizing of public property.

Stop the wars. Raise taxes on those that can most afford it. Rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.

Problem solved, plus several other job related problems at the same time. But that would cut into somebody's profit and we can't be having that now, can we? The citizens be damned.