FARK.com: (3022394) Old and busted: Freeways. New hotness: Charging $25 to drive on a 40-year-old interstate

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		Old and busted: Freeways. New hotness: Charging $25 to drive on a 40-year-old interstate (thenewspaper.com)		120
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13389 clicks; posted to Main » on 24 Aug 2007 at 1:42 AM | Favorite | share:

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stjohn		2007-08-23 08:49:20 PM

Unfarkingbelievable. I don't live in Pennsylvania, but I'm damn sure I paid for some of that road. If I have to drive from NY to Chicago, however unlikely, I'm going to be pissed if I get double-billed for it.

Meet Us at the Stick		2007-08-23 08:56:08 PM

Meh. I-80 is a toll road from the Chicagoland area all the way through Ohio to PA.

JWMthree		2007-08-23 09:17:50 PM

I only use I-80 to exit 4A coming from OH. If they imposed tolls, I'd just use US-422.

Gwendolyn		2007-08-23 09:23:07 PM

I-80 sucks ass and it's not even going to road improvement. Like Meet Us at the Stick said it's a toll road for awhile anyway. This isn't much different.

Taxcheat		2007-08-23 09:25:28 PM

JWMthree: If they imposed tolls, I'd just use US-422.

Until US-422 is turned into a toll road.

Radioactive Ass		2007-08-23 09:49:46 PM

Why was I not surprised it was PA? There's only two major east-west highways and one is already a toll road. God did I hate living in that state.

DarthBrooks		2007-08-23 09:55:29 PM

I-80 was supposed to be part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike System, but the Turnpike Commission turned the road over to the feds back in 1957.

Screw PTC.

And Rendell.

And especially Arlen Specter.

SpinStopper		2007-08-23 10:18:06 PM

Our government has gotten just a tad slap-happy about taking and spending money. Are they going to start taxing candy bars next? Oh yeah. In most states, any kind of food is already taxed ;)

tallguywithglasseson		2007-08-23 11:10:43 PM

Hope the US DOT tell them to DIAF.

/hates toll roads

etoof		2007-08-23 11:13:13 PM

Dear State,

Either charge tolls, or charge car registration fees. Pick one.

Riche		2007-08-23 11:27:24 PM

Holy crap that's a bad idea.

If you really need the cash then slap an extra nickel of tax on every gallon of gas sold.

It's what all the cool countries are doing!

=======================================

Actually, I've always wondered something: Why on Earth would a city/state/country build a single mile of road without working out how to pay for the long-term maintenance ahead of time?

Seems to me a matter of simple planning. If you know a section of highway is going to need, say, $60 million in repairs and maintenance every 10 years, then you need to set aside or raise about $6 million a year EVERY YEAR for that bit of road.

Why is this so hard to do?

Radioactive Ass		2007-08-23 11:34:22 PM

Riche: Why is this so hard to do?

Because then the beaurocrats wouldn't have anything to do and would lose their cushy desk jobs.

WorldCitizen		2007-08-23 11:39:02 PM

So that would add an extra $50 to my cost of driving to NY. Which pretty much pushes it over the edge of being cheaper to fly. Which means I will no longer be purchasing gas and other services from PA businesses as I will no longer be driving across their state.

dillenger69		2007-08-24 12:32:17 AM

When things get so big I can't keep up with the road maintenance is about the time I usually quit a game of Sim City.

/Time to hang it up, wipe and start over. It's been fun.

alostpacket		2007-08-24 01:44:31 AM

etoof: Dear State,

Either charge tolls, or charge car registration fees. Pick one.

this.

sadly it's like sales tax + income tax, once they get their fingers in the cookie jar they just want more.

/dunno wtf cookie jars have to do with anything

tonesskin		2007-08-24 01:45:42 AM

Thanks lib(ertarian)tards.

nobozo		2007-08-24 01:47:14 AM

Just look down and wave at all the poor suckers from your flying car.

ultraholland		2007-08-24 01:47:50 AM

VA's Blue Ridge Parkway, FTW!

Robo Beat		2007-08-24 01:48:05 AM

alostpacket: etoof: Dear State,

Either charge tolls, or charge car registration fees. Pick one.

this.

sadly it's like sales tax + income tax, once they get their fingers in the cookie jar they just want more.

/dunno wtf cookie jars have to do with anything

I like cookies.

JewZeppy		2007-08-24 01:50:28 AM

Ok, so the road taxes are repealed?

darth_shatner		2007-08-24 01:50:59 AM

IF you're going to charge a toll, then they should charge people more for driving through the suburbs, not actually using a road that gets people away from housing and onto a (hopefully) free-flowing road.

As as someone else here said - that's what income tax is for. User pays is, was, and will almost always be, a crap policy.

BudDwyer		2007-08-24 01:52:51 AM

And to think our Forefathers revolted over unfair taxes on tea.

We've come a long way, baby.

Shiftless		2007-08-24 01:54:28 AM

Wow, what training do their city planners have? A degree in Sim City?

fanbladesaresharp		2007-08-24 01:56:36 AM

Toll roads have been around for a long time. But from a raised-on-the-west coast, it's kind of an enigma. Don't like the toll road? Just go around it. However, out "west" there is no shortage of ferry and bridge tolls. Just not highway ones.

There's a section here in Raleigh that was supposed to be I-540, but was renamed NC-540, because that allows the state to establish a toll road. I drive it now. because it's open. But when it goes "toll" I'm going back to my old route. The hell with dropping change, cards or EZ passes.

tmbg		2007-08-24 01:57:24 AM

Yay.

My state gets more moneys!

fanbladesaresharp		2007-08-24 01:58:28 AM

alostpacket:

/dunno wtf cookie jars have to do with anything

State General Funds. And you won't see any of it. Not anytime soon.

drjekel_mrhyde		2007-08-24 01:58:58 AM

People in Pennsylvania

lolmao666		2007-08-24 02:01:10 AM

You think that's high? 25$? HAHAHAHA. Wait till I-35 in texas become a toll road like they are doing right now... it will be 160$ from Austin to Dallas. (I don't know if it will be a go-return price but I hope so)

slick_rick2k		2007-08-24 02:07:04 AM

WorldCitizen:

Your theory holds up right until they decide to implement a tax for flying over their state...

/drove through PA last summer
//will fly to Jersey next time
///fark em

gradatim		2007-08-24 02:07:32 AM

Either charge tolls, or charge car registration fees.

Registration fees only get PA residents. Tolls get out-of-state drivers (and PA residents again).

bmr68		2007-08-24 02:09:52 AM

Don't give Texas any bright ideas.

Bondith		2007-08-24 02:10:13 AM

What about charging $25 to ride a 40-year-old intern (maybe she's a slow learner - could happen). If she cleans up purty and still has most of her teeth you'd probably have a lineup of cheap, desperate losers looking for some reasonably priced lovin'.

Radioactive Ass
God did I hate living in that state.

I've wandered into a fair number of PA threads by now, and not once have I ever heard anyone say anything nice about it. Is it really that bad?

AngledLuffa		2007-08-24 02:13:55 AM

I80 in PA already looks like it was hit with howitzer fire. Now they're going to charge people to get stuck in three hour construction delays? Awesome.

tonesskin		2007-08-24 02:14:01 AM

A victory for Libertarians everywhere!

Seasons I'v Withered		2007-08-24 02:19:32 AM

BOYCOTT
think

rat_brain_flies_plane		2007-08-24 02:21:44 AM

dillenger69: Time to hang it up, wipe and start over. It's been fun.

Some conspracy thoerists believe that is actually the plan.

With leadership like this country has... I woudln't put it past them.

tmbg		2007-08-24 02:23:01 AM

WOW!

My state MUST be evil.

Resize Images Online

wilbergris		2007-08-24 02:23:16 AM

Bondith: I've wandered into a fair number of PA threads by now, and not once have I ever heard anyone say anything nice about it. Is it really that bad?

I love Pennsylvania. ...atleast compared to NJ.

...lived 6 years in NJ, took a pay cut to come back to PA.

g3o		2007-08-24 02:25:08 AM

As rare as it is that I drive that way ('Sconnie here), when I do ... I shall be taking the scenic route.

/Usually do anyways
//Motorcycles are more fun to travel in
///Yes ... for multiple-thousand-mile-trips.
////Hate tolls ... but only because my state doesn't have them.
//Agrees that they make for good developmental planning for transportation issues
//Yay for slashies!

rush22		2007-08-24 02:26:15 AM

Turnpikes are also a great way for corrupt politicians to launder money if you know how.

JWideman		2007-08-24 02:32:51 AM

Bondith: I've wandered into a fair number of PA threads by now, and not once have I ever heard anyone say anything nice about it. Is it really that bad?

Ed Rendell's campaign promise was to do for all of PA what he did for Philladelphia, and he's been living up to that promise. So yes, it's a farking hole.

jimpoz		2007-08-24 02:34:01 AM

From the linked Toll Roads article: Contrary to reports in the Philadelphia Inquirer and AP the Turnpike does not propose any toll booths on I-80. It says tolling would be conducted from "up to ten gantries equipped for electronic tolling" which suggests full highway speed tolling based on transponders and cameras, not cash collection out of toll booths.

In other news, sales of license plate obfuscators soar.

altprimus		2007-08-24 02:34:08 AM

tonesskin:

Sorry, nobody is biting. 1/10.

I always hated driving from Indianapolis to Boston and back simply because of the state of Pennsylvania. It goes on for farking ever.

Dinjiin		2007-08-24 02:35:10 AM

This is what happens when people whine about paying an extra 10 cents per gallon for fuel taxes. The federal gas tax as not been keeping up with inflation, which is extra bad if you consider that construction material has been vastly exceeding the rate of general inflation.

So long freeways, hello tollways. Suck it, us.

killwhitey4me		2007-08-24 02:39:18 AM

PA is a gorgeous state to live in - the foothills are amazing. That said, a lot of areas are depressed or somewhat backward. Where I grew up in York County they had run out all the black people a few years before. My parents took a black man to a white bar/restaraunt and we got our tires slashed by our waitress.

All things aside, though, I always love driving through. Too bad some of the people aren't worth their weight in water, but every state has their share.

UPS.Iowa.connection		2007-08-24 02:40:11 AM

altprimus: I always hated driving from Indianapolis to Boston and back simply because of the state of Pennsylvania. It goes on for farking ever.

Nebraska. Seriously. Drive it once. PA will look like a scenic drive.

locater16		2007-08-24 02:42:15 AM

Tollroads: Because, you know, taxes are bad right?

\Glad to live in California

tonesskin		2007-08-24 02:45:44 AM

altprimus: tonesskin:

Sorry, nobody is biting. 1/10.

I always hated driving from Indianapolis to Boston and back simply because of the state of Pennsylvania. It goes on for farking ever.

There is nothing to bite. It's true. This is how the world SHOULD be. I know, speaking the truth is seen as trolling. What can I say?

Axana		2007-08-24 02:45:49 AM

Bondith: I've wandered into a fair number of PA threads by now, and not once have I ever heard anyone say anything nice about it. Is it really that bad?

I hate PA politics and I despise our liquor laws even more, but otherwise, I love living in this state. Very low cost of living, nice people, good food to be had, and beautiful scenery.