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7/3/2009
  • On July 1 toll rates went up on Interstate 95 for two sections in New Hampshire. Tolls increased at the Hampton Toll Plaza and on the Exit 2 ramp toll leading to Route 101 by 22% for five axle vehicles. The rate for five axle trucks went from $4.50 to $5.50 and $4.95 with E-ZPass. Below is a link to the new toll rate for all vehicle classes.

New Hampshire I-95 New Toll Rates

 

 

  • The West Virginia Parkways Authority approved increasing the tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike. Starting August 1, five axle commercial vehicles will see an increase in the rate from $4.25 to $6.75 a 59% increase. Below is a link to the West Virginia Parkways Authority’s press release.

WV Parkways Authority

  
7/10/2009
  • Arizona state lawmakers approved a major transportation funding bill that includes a provision allowing toll roads. SB1320 states that, "a city or town may construct, operate and finance the construction of toll roads within the corporate limits of the city or town." SB1320 is presently on the Governor’s desk.

 

  • The finance committee of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) proposed a 32% toll rate increase for the Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike. Tolls would increase from the present average of 11 cents/mile to 14.5 cents/mile and would go into effect on September 1, 2009. The proposal still requires approval from the full NTTA board and will be considered at their next meeting July 16, 2009.
  
7/17/2009

 

  • The North Carolina Turnpike Authority found the $1 billion necessary to build, operate, and maintain the Triangle Expressway. On July 13, 2009, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that they would fund part of the Triangle Expressway with a $386 million TIFIA loan. The remaining funds for the project came from selling $270 million in toll revenue bonds and $353 million in state appropriation revenue bonds. Construction on the Expressway is expected to start at the beginning of August 2009 and completion is expected in 2012.

 

  • The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) board of directors approved a 32% toll rate increase for the Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike. Tolls will increase from the present average of 11 cents/mile to 14.5 cents/mile and will go into effect on September 1, 2009.

 

  • The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s board voted to increase truck tolls by 30% and tolls on passenger vehicles by 16%. The toll rate increase will go into effect on August 4, 2009. Below is a link to the complete list of the new toll rates.

 

Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's New Toll Rates

 

  
8/14/2009
  • The Dulles Corridor Users Group filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to stop the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) from collecting tolls on the Dulles Toll Road in Virginia. Last year the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority took over management of the Dulles Toll Road and the rail project to the Dulles International Airport from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since the takeover last year the MWAA has been using toll revenue to pay for the construction of the rail project. The lawsuit asks the federal court to prevent the authority from collecting any more tolls and to refund $300 million in toll revenue to drivers. The lawsuit also requests that the Dulles Toll Road be returned to the State.

 

  • The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced that they are looking into tolling I-95. Officials with NCDOT have begun to study the traffic patterns on I-95. Gene Conti, the secretary of NCDOT discussed the possibility of using the revenue generated from tolling I-95 for making improvements to and widening the highway. 
  
9/18/2009
  • On September 15, Massachusetts state lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony regarding legislation that would allow anyone over the age of 70 to drive toll free on the Massachusetts Turnpike. The legislation, H3300, would require the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to issue passes or stickers to all qualified individuals. The executive session to mark up the legislation has yet to be scheduled.
  
9/11/2009
  • A Wyoming state legislator is moving forward with a push to toll Interstate 80, even though the cost is higher than expected. According to press reports, Parsons Brinckerhoff, a consulting firm hired to study the financial feasibility of a toll road on I-80, found that tolling I-80 “appears viable despite the relatively small funding shortfall that exists.” This news prompted Wyoming state chairman of the Joint Interim Committee on Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Senator Michael Von Flatern to announce that his committee will mark up legislation that would authorize the Wyoming Department of Transportation to act as a tolling authority. If the legislation is approved they will formally submit a request to the Federal Highway Administration to toll Interstate 80.
  
9/4/2009
  • A ballot initiative to eliminate tolls in Massachusetts has been approved by the State’s Attorney General. For the initiative to be placed on the November 2010 ballot, the initiative will need 66,600 registered voter signatures by December 2, 2009.

 

  • The Kansas Turnpike Authority announced that on October 1, 2009 cash tolls for trucks on the Turnpike will increase by 5 percent but KTAG rates will stay the same. Cash tolls for trucks traveling from Topeka to Wichita will increase from $39.75 to $41.74, and trucks traveling from Kansas City, KS to Topeka will see rates increase from $12.50 to $13.13. Click here for a link to the new cash toll rates.

 

  • The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has spent over $6 million in revenue to help save endangered dragonflies. The Hine’s emerald dragonflies inhabit Illinois every summer and many of them live near a tollway bridge that spans the Des Plaines River. This tollway bridge, also know as the Interstate 355 bridge, was built higher than normal, 100-feet high, to help conserve the dragonfly populations. But biologists from the University of South Dakota, who received a $1.5 million grant to study the endangered dragonflies, find that the dragonflies are not flying under the bridge due to the shadow from the highway. The shadow is preventing many dragonflies from mating with other dragonflies on the opposite side of the bridge.

 

  
8/28/2009
  • On August 24, the lawyers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Toll Equality Trust filed a petition in the Massachusetts Court of Appeals to overturn a ruling that stopped an attempt to prevent the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA) from using turnpike revenue to pay for the Big Dig and also repay 2,500 turnpike drivers for tolls collected over the past three years. The Middlesex Superior Court Judge stated that the plaintiffs do have the option to use alternative routes if they choose and that using toll revenue for other transportation projects within the state is not unconstitutional.

 

  
9/25/2009

 

  • The Maryland Transportation Authority proposed a congestion pricing proposal for the Intercounty Connector; an 18.8 mile highway that is presently being built to relieve some of the traffic between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Large trucks would pay 60 cents to $2.63 a mile, depending on the time of day. Travel would be the most expensive during peak comminuting hours, which would be from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm. All tolls would be collected electronically at regular highway speeds, using E-ZPass transponder. Drivers without a transponder would be mailed a bill with an additional $3 surcharge. The Authority has announced that it will be accepting public comments on the proposal online and via mail (until November 23). Also, the Authority has scheduled a set of open houses and public hearings. Below is a link to the public comment information.  

 

http://www.iccproject.com/tolling-providing-comment.php

 

  
10/2/2009

 

  • On Monday, September 28, 2009, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) opened two new toll lanes along Interstate 35 West between Minneapolis and Burnsville. These new lanes are free for buses and carpool drivers but single occupant drivers are required to pay a toll during rush hour that fluctuates between 25 cents $2.25, depending on traffic.

 

  • The Texas Transportation Commission authorized the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to begin planning two new toll projects. New lanes would be built on a 10 mile stretch of State Route 360, from Green Oaks Boulevard/ Kingswood Boulevard to U.S. 287, and the other lanes would be built on more than six miles of State Route 170, from State Route 144 near the Roanoke/Westlake border to Interstate 35 west.
  
10/9/2009
  • The National Governors Association (NGA) adopted a new policy position that opposes all federal restrictions on states to enter into public-private partnerships and toll interstates. The new policy language was created in reaction to the surface transportation reauthorization bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives that would create the Office of Public Benefit. The Office of Public Benefit would be required to review all toll concessions and toll rates on Federal-aid highways. Below is a link to the NGA’s surface transportation policy positions. 

 

NGA's Surface Transportation Policy Positions

 

 

  • The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced that it will stop all plans to build the Trans-Texas Corridor-35 (TTC-35). Officials with TxDOT stated that due to citizen comments received during the environmental review, the Department has recommended the “No Action Alternative” on the TTC-35 environmental study sent to the Federal Highway Administration. Below is a link to TxDOT’s press release.

 

TxDOT Responds to Citizen Concerns on TTC-35

 

  
10/16/2009

 

  • Grove City College released a study on the impact of tolling Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. The study concluded that tolling the Interstate would have a significant economic impact on the counties lining the road. Economic impact included; significant job loss, companies closing, companies being less likely to expand, and reduced investment in the area. Below is a link to the study.

 

Grove City College Study on I-80

  
10/23/2009
  • The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted to solicit federal funds to study the level of public support for a transportation funding tax that would be based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT). TPB in conjunction with the Brookings Institution have put together a for the Federal Highway Administration’s Value Pricing Pilot Program Grant that would look at privacy, equality, and feasibility issues associated with implementing a VMT tax. The study would focus on the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and would use focus groups and public opinion surveys to test a variety of pricing options. Below are links to the proposal.

 

Public Acceptability of Regional Road Pricing: Can it be designed to Garner Public Support?

 

 

  • The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) over the next 14 months will spend $1 million to study the projected revenue of the proposed Garden Parkway toll road. The purpose of the study is to get an accurate count of the number of potential drivers and then use that data to assess the risk for credit rating purposes to obtain bonds. The Parkway when built will run from Interstate 485 in Charlotte to U.S. 321 south of Gastonia and is slated for completion in late 2014.  

 

 

 

  
10/29/2009
  • The Wyoming Joint Interim Committee on Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs has approved legislation that would give the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) tolling authority over Interstate 80. If approved by the legislature the bill would allow WYDOT to make a formal request to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to toll I-80, which would included the details about bonding, tolling fees, and station locations.
  
11/6/2009
  • The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced that they are trying to develop one of the country’s most aggressive public-private partnership (P3) programs and are currently reviewing 18 projects for P3s. Before any project can be implemented, GDOT is required to establish a set of rules and guidelines that will serve as the framework for the P3 program to operate. This framework must then be approved by Georgia’s House and Senate Transportation Committees. GDOT has release its draft framework and is soliciting public comments until December 7th. Below is a link to GDOT’s P3 website.

 

GDOT's P3 Website

  
11/20/2009
  • The San Francisco Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) is proposing three different options that would increase tolls on all of the BATA bridges. For five axle trucks the tolling options range from a 52% to 78% toll increase. Below is a link to BATA’s presentation on the proposal. 

 

BATA's Toll Increase Proposal

 

 

  • The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) announced a new $710 million plan to improve US 280. The new proposal is a compromise over past plans and adds four new tolled lanes that are elevated and run between the current six free lanes. Officials from ALDOT have stated that the project will not use private funds, and they would like to see the projected completed by the end of 2013. Below is a link to the proposed layout of the toll roads on US 280.

 

US 280 Proposal

 

 

  • The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) released a new study that evaluated fuel usage and emission differences between 183A (toll road) and US 183 (free road parallel to 183A). The study found that divers on the toll road emitted fewer pollutants and used less fuel than drivers on US 183 traveling similar distances. Below is a link to the study.

 

183A Vehicle Emissions Study

 

  
12/10/2009

·        Missouri State Senator Matt Bartle proposed legislation that would give the state’s Highways and Transportation Commission the ability to conduct feasibility studies, fund, design, acquire, construct, maintain and operate toll facilities. Senator Bartle has proposed this particular tolling legislation 6 times.

  • Pennsylvania State Representative Mike Vereb proposed legislation that would eliminate the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. House Bill 2134 would transfer the oversight and management of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the Turnpike Commission to the state Department of Transportation.

 

  • On December 7th, the San Antonio Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) approved a long-range transportation plan. Mobility 2035 is a 25 year plan that contains 57 new tolling projects and many other programs to improve transportation. Below is a link a list of the new projects.

 

Mobility 2035 Tolling Projects

  
1/8/2010
  • This week, Jim Ryan, a GOP candidate for Illinois governor announced a plan to reduce the state’s budget shortfall by privatizing the state’s toll roads. Ryan stated that his plan to lease or sell the Illinois tollway system would help to raise needed funds to improve the state’s infrastructure. His plan would be modeled after Indiana’s lease of the Indiana Toll Road for $3.8 billion. Ryan admitted that he had not looked at the details of the Indiana Toll Road lease but agreed that toll road increases would inevitability be worked into any lease agreement.

 

  • Two major toll roads have increased there tolls.
    • The New York State Thruway raised the average truck toll by 5 percent. Below is a link to calculate rates.

 

New York Thruway Toll Calculator

 

    • Pennsylvania Turnpike raised the average truck toll by 20 percent. Below is a link to the press release.

 

PA Turnpike Increase

 

  
1/15/2010
  • This week The Bay Area Toll Authority Oversight Committee granted trucks a reprieve from an impending toll increase on July 1, 2010. The Committee voted to delay an increase on trucks until July 1, 2011, and then only charge half of the proposed increase until July 12, 2012, when the full increase will take effect  The Toll Authority’s current plan is to increase a truck with 5 axles from $11.25 to $25. The Toll Authority is expected to approve the toll increase with the grace period for trucks on January 27th.

 

  • Indiana State Representative Chet Dobis and State Senator Ed Charbonneau introduced companion legislation that would allow the proposed Illiana Expressway to become a privatized toll road. Current law prohibits tolling or privatization of roadways in the state but the legislation would make an exception for the Illiana Expressway to be built as a toll road and leased to private investors. The Expressway as proposed would be a 23-mile state highway that would connect I-65 in Northern Indiana with I-57 in Illinois south of Chicago. Click here for a link to the Senate bill.
  
1/22/2010
  • This week in a public meeting before the Florida Transportation Commission, U.S. Representative John Mica proposed that the state should privatize the State’s toll roads. The roads that were suggested for privatization and leasing included Florida’s 460 mile turnpike system and the 100 miles of toll roads operated by Orlando-County Expressway Authority in Central Florida. Representative Mica also suggested that he would reverse his opposition to tolls on I-4 as long as they do not displace existing “free lanes” and would work to include a $450 million planned interchange on I-4 into the next stimulus package or transportation bill. Mica is the ranking republican member of the U.S. House Transportation Committee.
  
2/12/2010
  • West Virginia Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin proposed legislation that would allow the West Virginia Parkways Authority to expand the state’s toll roads. SB 427 would permit the Parkways Authority to pursue selling bonds to build new highways and collect tolls from those new roads to pay off the bonds. The legislation is currently pending in the Senate Government Organization Committee. 

 

  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has proposed a 100% video tolling system would discontinue all electronic and cash collection on Florida’s Turnpike System. The new method of collection is being called “toll by plate” and would require a $2.50 administrative charge for all toll collection billing. On Thursday, February 18, at 6:00 pm FDOT is holding a webinar to discuss the proposal and the toll rate changes. Below is a link to register and information on the proposals.

 

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/publicmeeting.html

 

 

  • The Wyoming State Joint Transportation Committee filed legislation that would enable the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) to file a petition with the Federal Highway Administration to toll Interstate 80. SF 35 would allow WYDOT to submit an application to FHWA and create an extensive plan outlining the costs, construction phases, tolling approach, and tolling rates. The final plan must be resubmitted back to the legislature for approval.