Will WY make I-80 a toll road?

[Mug]

Just heard on KSL that the state of Wyoming is thinking of using I-80, as a revenue source for maintenance and improvements of the interstate.

Who will be affected?

Is is right?

 

[Crankylove]

I could be wrong, but by my understanding (after spending some time back east) is that any public access roadway that has a toll placed on it cannot recieve federal highway money. The toll roads I have been thru on the east coast were run by private contractors (still controlled by the state though) that collected the tolls, and provided all the maintainance and improvements. I guess if they ran in right, they could make enough to cover what they would lose in the federal money, but it may take a while to get there. I personally don't like the toll road idea. In New York it would cost me $6-8 to drive about 15 miles, which seemed a little much to me, while going thru Chicago cost $1.70 for about 20 miles, which isnt as bad, but still a pain. About the only reason I use I-80 in Wyoming is to go see family in the Bear Lake Valley, or hunt antelope north of Rock Springs. However, both are places accessable by other routes, so they still wouldn't be getting my money.