# Toll roads / lanes



## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Ofcourse 

You can check the pics here

Oh shit, i see you mean A2. I only have pics of the AP-2.


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## Nephasto (Feb 6, 2004)

^^Yeah, I've already seen those photo's of the AP-2, and I've already drive on that one.

Thanks anyway. 


If I had to go from Lleida to Zaragoza I would probably use the AP2, because it's certainly much faster, but I find the A2 to be interesting, particularly because the terraine is more dificult that on the AP2, and it crosses a very populated area, hence all those exits. That's why I wanted to see pictures of it.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

A2 is filled with trucks. If you want a comfortable easy drive, i´d definatly choose the AP-2.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

*Congestion Pricing?*

Los Angeles has now proposed putting toll lanes on freeways in addition to HOV lanes, effectively making HOT lanes. This idea has split the city in two: many want them to pay for the expansion of our Metro Rail system, the others don't want lanes that they say only the rich can use. I just wanted to know what people from other countries think of congestion pricing and how it works there.

Here's a link to the main article about this idea in the Los Angeles Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hotlane7jul07,1,2427201.story?coll=la-headlines-california


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I don't think it would work. It might work initially, when people get scared of the higher costs of mobility, but after a few years, they just change some power purchasing to mobility. So people are gonna cut back on other things, like vacations, food, holidays, etc. People might reconsider recreational and social driving, especially in the weekend, when a lot of people travel to see friends, family and other relatives. 

You can look at the current gas prices. They went sky-high the last couple of years. But people don't drive a mile less for it. Traffic jams keeps getting longer. In the last 4 - 5 years, gas prices rose with 50%, but mobility keeps growing. 

Do you really think people aren't going to work anymore, because of congestion pricing? No, people still travel. During rushhours, the amount of traffic which has options to drive on other times is really marginal. Nobody goes driving in a continuesly growing traffic jam, unless they really have to.

And when we keep building large housing projects, and do nothing about the infrastructure, you will keep traffic jams. On the other hand, why do offices have to be concentrated on one spot? With modern communications, they could settle anywhere. 

When you have a busy freeway, and they build a giant officepark next to it, what do you expect? Of course traffic jams will grow. Congestion pricing won't change that. 

The idea behind CP is that people who don't have to be on the road during rushhours, will choose another time of travel. But that amount of traffic is overcalculated, it's really a small amount, i won't make much of a difference on the road, but the money keeps coming in by the government.


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## Cicerón (May 15, 2006)

This is the map for Spain. It includes "autopistas" and tolled tunnels but it's not very precise.











More info: www.aseta.es


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

^ I thought the idea was to enable faster driving to those who pay for it.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

CP sounds like "You pay for the infrastructure we don't provide!" 

Al least in LA, in London it's a different thing.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Verso said:


> ^ I thought the idea was to enable faster driving to those who pay for it.


Yeah, but they don't provide better infrastructure. You just pay more money for driving in traffic jams.

We know all that in the Netherlands, our taxes are among the highest in the world, and so are our traffic jams.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2004)

Chris1491 said:


> *France:* Most motorways are tolled, except near border regions and near larger cities.


Are you sure ?

In orange, tolled motorways (always "Autoroutes"), that represents 7186 km (67 % of the network).
In green, untolled motorways ("Autoroutes" or "Voie Express"), that represents 3565 km réseau (33 % of the network):








PS: the map is not up to date 


If we don't take into account the "autoroutes" near the cities, free autoroutes (fully or not) are:
A16, A20, A23, A25 A28, A84, A31, A34, A35, A63, A64, A68 and A75.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

Ok, so it obviously does nothing to solve traffic, but how does much money does it get and is it worth it? Is this really a good way for Metro to get more money?


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## Æsahættr (Jul 9, 2004)

NoNoNoNoNo.
Keep the traffic jams but just add more public transportation


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Public Transportation is by far no solution for traffic jams or as an alternative.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

^^Public transportation is not an alternative to traffic?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

phattonez said:


> ^^Public transportation is not an alternative to traffic?


No, i don't think so. Let me make an example.

If i go with my car to work (10km) it takes about 10 - 15 minutes in normal morning traffic.
If i go with the bus to work, it takes always at least 53 minutes. That is 5 times the driving time with a car. I have to get a hell lot of traffic jams for that. And even then i'm late. If i wanna be on time, i have to leave 1:20 before my work starts. That is 1:05 longer then with a car. 

I don't call that an alternative. 

Public transportation is only fast when you have to go from city center to city center, or in case of highspeed rail, an alternative to flying.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

What if you use a subway instead of a car?

In the case of someone who's in Hollywood, it would be faster for them to use the train to go to Universal City than to take the 101 and go over the Cahuenga Pass.

I'll agree, buses aren't faster than anything, but a grade separated train, now that's a whole different animal. It's needed in a city with a lot of traffic, and congestion pricing to me seems like a way to get people out of their cars, into public transportation, and have another way to pay for that mass transit system.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

There is no other PT in my city of 115.000, yeah there are trains, but there is only 1 trainstation. 
If there was a subway, i would use it if it is close to my work.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

Oh, ok, you just meant in your city exclusively. That's a good fact that you bring up. For some cities, roads are perfect. For others, it just can't work. Los Angeles has been one of those cities for a while now, but it still doesn't have the necessary infrastructure in place.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

L.A. needs a better subway. It has a very small system considering the agglomeration size. However, i think going with the subway all the way from Riverside or Moreno Valley is too long either.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

We need it more in metro LA and commuter rail out anywhere further.

I don't know why the freeways are still being expanded. Could you agree that it is only going to hurt LA?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Well, Los Angeles is build in a way that you can't be mobile without a car. So they have to face the consequences and widen the freeways. You don't wanna have total gridlocks either.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

Or we can start building everything next to our existing rail lines. I don't think that we can ever outgrow our car dependence to an extent, but we can become rail riders when we commute.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

This plan isn't really congestion pricing in it's true sense, they're just adding a toll to their HOV lanes, I believe that Houston has some as well. Personally, since people are so loath to see their taxes raised here in the US, it's not a bad idea at all, a good one actually.

But I don't think Congestion pricing overall would work here in the US. Sure, it may work in a few where there are plenty of PT options and infrastructure, but not in most cities here. But anyway, I'm going to vote yes, to fund mass transit.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

> But anyway, I'm going to vote yes, to fund mass transit.


 Why do automobile owners have to pay for mass transit they don't use?

Anyway, i do like the concept of separated toll lanes. So you can choose between traffic jam or pay a little more and no traffic jams.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Well, I do drive a car and like it very much, but I am aware that there are plenty of people who don't own any, and there needs to be a way of transportation for them. There's nothing wrong with a little balance...you can like Metros and like Highways.

Anyway, this is a debate for another topic.


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

Chris1491 said:


> No, i don't think so. Let me make an example.
> 
> If i go with my car to work (10km) it takes about 10 - 15 minutes in normal morning traffic.
> If i go with the bus to work, it takes always at least 53 minutes. That is 5 times the driving time with a car. I have to get a hell lot of traffic jams for that. And even then i'm late. If i wanna be on time, i have to leave 1:20 before my work starts. That is 1:05 longer then with a car.
> ...


Even in Tallinn, where public transport is so poorly developed, by train you can get from a suburb to the centre faster than by a car....That is an alternative.


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

Think of it like mitigation for driving a car. You're causing traffic, pollution the environment, etc. You should have to pay more than people who go by foot and are decreasing traffic in the area.

I'd much rather have a higher gas tax, but taxes are just so evil to everyone here.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

gas taxes in the US are very low, and they complain about the prices! In The Netherlands, gas is the most expensive in the world


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## phattonez (Sep 14, 2006)

We complain because there is no alternative like much of Europe has. There is a huge stigma about buses here, so that is a big problem. Also, people like to live away from city centers, meaning they pay a lot because they drive a lot. Don't forget about all the gas wasted in all the traffic here.

This country needs a comprehensive rail plain, much like when Eisenhower initiated the Interstate system. This country need intercity and intracity rail.


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## Æsahættr (Jul 9, 2004)

I'm sure if you put rail lines along major routes toward a CBD in the USA the congestion will be cut by a lot.

Congestion pricing [in the city] is just a bad idea imo, that's almost encouraging people NOT to go in the CBD if there are no public transit options


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

> I'm sure if you put rail lines along major routes toward a CBD in the USA the congestion will be cut by a lot.


That idea is often overrated.

Let me give an example. In the Netherlands, we have an extensive rail/lightrail/subway network, especially in the Randstad region. 

So they build the CBD's near trainstations, excellent PT locations. But does it increase PT ridership? A little, but traffic jams kept growing, because trainstations are generally not very accessible to roadtraffic. Making the CBD accessible to PT is one thing, but you have to think about the housing too... they are much more spread, making PT just inefficient.

Like in LA's case, you'll have like 4 or 5 east-west freeways which all have like 250.000 - 300.000 AADT. There is no way you can transport even like 10% of that with trains, because they can't go too short after eachother (safety). 

Here, in NL, they think if they put superfast buses between Den Haag and Rotterdam, the traffic jams dissapear.
The A13 motorway has 160.000 vehicles a day, and you need like 100.000 to let the traffic jams dissapear. That means you have to transport 72.000 people with buses in rushhours. You'll need like 1200 buses for that in a few hours. That's just impossible.


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## Æsahættr (Jul 9, 2004)

About capacity issues, if very dense cities can survive on almost soley PT like Toyko, then PT does work even with lots of capacity. Build more lines, do whatever, but it works.

A solution to suburbian PT would be park-and-rides, where commuters just drive a little bit to their local PT station, park their cars and go to work


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

The problem is, that PT is only very effective in very dense cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai etc. But the majority of the large cities in the US aren´t way that dense, and so are most European cities (however they are denser than other cities). 

But i think most roads in Europe aren't that busy considering the city's size. Like Paris, 10 million in agglomeration, but the busiest road is only 300.000 vehicles a day. Generally that means only 100.000 - 150.000 of that 10million use that motorway daily.


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## vox20 (Jun 27, 2006)

Chris1491 said:


> Yeah, but they don't provide better infrastructure. You just pay more money for driving in traffic jams.


May be this change people's attitude from 'roads are free but subway( LRT, whatever) is not; so build more roads and not subways' to something else.


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## picassoborseli (Sep 15, 2005)

*Toll Roads & Toll Gates*

I decided to open a new thread about toll roads and toll gates.

Post your pics of toll gates!
Post news of new and old toll roads!
Which payement systems do you have in your country?


Let's start with some pictures from France.


*A40* near The Mont Blanc:



















*A10* in France:


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## PLH (Mar 9, 2007)

*POLAND:*


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Interesting, in Poland, the credit cards seems to be on the right side, while i saw that in other countries usually on the left side.


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## PLH (Mar 9, 2007)

^^ Nooo, thy are obviousely on the left side , this part of this system isn't so stupid(only this one)

The first pic was taken before the road was opened, and because of this this car is driving on the wrong side


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## keber (Nov 8, 2006)

Chriszwolle said:


> Interesting, in Poland, the credit cards seems to be on the right side, while i saw that in other countries usually on the left side.


Italy for instance has no rules about that.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

Croatia

B8 - barrier Tunnel Učka, west entrance









A6 - barrier Grobnik (entrance)

















A4 - barrier Sveta Helena (entrance)
















A4 - exit Čakovec









A1 - barrier Lučko (entrance)









































A1 - exit Dugopolje (Split)









A1 - exit Šibenik









A1 - exit Zadar 2









A1 - exit Šestanovac (temporarly it is barrier because currently A1 ends here)









A1 - exit Otočac









A2 - exit Krapina









A2 - barrier Trakošćan (exit)









A7 - barrier Rupa









A3 - barrier Ivanja Reka (exit)









B9 - barrier Mirna (very rare photographed)









D102 - barrier Krčki most (bridge toll)


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## PLH (Mar 9, 2007)

keber said:


> Italy for instance has no rules about that.


 But they usually place it on the left side, don't they?
I have never ecountered one on the right side(in nothern and cental Italy)


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## AltinD (Jul 15, 2004)

In Dubai it is chip based. You buy and stuck the chip in the top middle of your windshield, recharge your account and any time you drive beneath the gate, the fee is reduced automatically from your deposited amount. There are actually 2 gates (on each direction) but if you avoid them, you can drive in between for free.

The cost for one passage is AED 4/- ($1.09)

There are cameras also so if you drive without chip the number plate is recognised and filmed, so you can't excape the fine. If no credit in account, you'll be finned too unless you'll recharge your account within 2 days.


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## keber (Nov 8, 2006)

PLH said:


> But they usually place it on the left side, don't they?
> I have never ecountered one on the right side(in nothern and cental Italy)


I don't know about you, but I've encountered all sorts of positions of card and Telepass booths, in north too. Don't have pictures, though.


Ontopic - Few toll stations in Slovenia:
A1, Videž toll station:









A1, Kompolje toll station:









A2, Drnovo toll station:









A2, Dob toll station:
Going fast lane with electronic system ABC









H4, Nanos toll station:


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## CborG (Dec 2, 2003)

In the Netherlands there are no toll roads and only 2 tunnels are tolled. The Westerscheldetunnel and the Kiltunnel

Toll gate at the Westerscheldetunnel:



























source: www.westerscheldetunnel.nl

Toll gate Kiltunnel:


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## TheCat (Apr 21, 2006)

In Ontario there is only one toll road (and I think it is the only one in all of Canada, but correct me if I'm wrong), and it is Highway 407 north of Toronto. It does not have any toll gates, but rather takes a picture of the car's license plate and later mails the bill to the driver, or, the driver can subscribe to a transponder device, which operates remotely and there is no need for the license plate picture. The entrance to the road is therefore done at the same speed as on non-tolled highways, although the rates tend to be somewhat expensive.

So this would be the equivalent of the toll booth:


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

There are no toll roads in Connecticut here in the states, therefore no toll gates. The state did once have toll roads in the past, but got rid of them because of problems. Every few years, there are plans to bring them back, but they always go nowhere. Consequently, our fuel taxes are higher than our neighbors, and one of the highest in the nation.

CT is the only state in the Northeast Corridor (DC to Boston) without any tolls.

However, on northbound I-95 in New York near the border, there is a $1 toll. It's a little bit more interesting looking than most toll gates that are, IMO, nothing to talk about really. It even has a large I-95 sign painted on! 










Another toll gate near the CT border on I-84 in Massachusetts. This connects with I-90, the Mass Turnpike, which goes to either Albany and Springfield, or Boston. Unlike the NY tollgate, when coming into the turnpike, you don't pay, you get a ticket and pay when you get off the turnpike. I love that we have to pay a toll in these states near the border, while their residents get to drive free on ours. :bash:









Both pics from AAroads.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

> I love that we have to pay a toll in these states near the border, while their residents get to drive free on ours.


I heard tolls in western Massachusetts were cancelled on the I-90 because local drivers didn't want to pay for the Big Dig they don't use.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

CHriss, where exactly is Kiltunnel located?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Near Dordrecht, it's a regional road, not very important


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## Jeroen669 (Nov 29, 2006)

x-type said:


> CHriss, where exactly is Kiltunnel located?












It's the main port to 'de Hoeksche Waard'. There are no ferries here. Toll isn't very high, I thought something like €2.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

i have allready found it, tnx 
well, 2€ for 900 m long tunnel isn't low. citizens of 's Gravendeel are definitly unhappy because of that toll


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

That's the whole problem with our geography, all river crossings are the only way out of there, while they are all bottlenecks.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Chriszwolle said:


> I heard tolls in western Massachusetts were cancelled on the I-90 because local drivers didn't want to pay for the Big Dig they don't use.


I think that there are still some gates on some of the exits. That one is still there. :dunno:

But the main toll gates are in the Boston area, yes. And they still drive on our roads for free! :no:


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

picassoborseli said:


> *A1 or A10* in France:


OMG! Excellent automatic tolling systems have existed for at least 15 years now. I don't understand why there is still so many manual toll stations around. Why the hell does the French, who otherwise is hooked on technolgy, put up with queues like the one above? Maybe there are no French company in the bussiness....


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Well, because a lot of traffic on the French Autoroutes is foreign. You can't expect them to have all kinds of electronic tolling systems on board.


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## FM 2258 (Jan 24, 2004)

^^

They could come up with a European toll pass. Texas has a statewide toll pass system which can be used in Austin, Dallas or Houston even though they all pretty much use different systems. EZ-Tag in Houston and Toll-Tag in Dallas.


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

Chriszwolle said:


> Well, because a lot of traffic on the French Autoroutes is foreign. You can't expect them to have all kinds of electronic tolling systems on board.


I doubt that a majority of those cars are foreign. Besides, you don't need a chip to pass a fully automatic toll station. Many toll stations in Norway are now equipped with this sign:








Regardless if you have a chip or not, you are supposed to drive through the toll station without stopping. If you don't have a chip, your license plate is automatically analyzed, and you have the choise of paying the fee next time you fill gas or alternatively you can pay an invoice that will be sent to your home address. Also foreign cars are billed this way.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

France is an important transit country, and trucks usually prefer the Autoroute. Besides that, France is a major touristic destination, attracting millions of foreigners per year who travel by car. 

The Paying Tolls At The Gas Station is an interesting concept by the way.


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## KIWIKAAS (May 13, 2003)

E-toll in Melbourne










In Australia toll roads have been built exclusively as e-toll for the last 10 years. Many toll plazas are due to be replaced with e-toll gantries in the coming years.


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## keber (Nov 8, 2006)

FM 2258 said:


> They could come up with a European toll pass. Texas has a statewide toll pass system which can be used in Austin, Dallas or Houston even though they all pretty much use different systems. EZ-Tag in Houston and Toll-Tag in Dallas.


Is this Texas thing compatible in all US states? Probably not.
And Europe has the same problem to introduce EU-wide compatible electronic toll system. EU Commission demands interoperability (satellite based system), but it is far from being available. When that becomes available, toll stations will become obsolete. But I'm afraid, that this will not happen in next 10 years.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

E-ZPass is compatible in many states. Florida and California have different systems.


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## djay (Jan 8, 2008)

M6 Toll Road U.K.


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## Jeroen669 (Nov 29, 2006)

Nieuwerbrug, Holland.



















:cheers:


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## CborG (Dec 2, 2003)

^^ I'm wondering how they collect the 50 cent toll there, especially at night. It must be manned 24/7 or else it would be easy, and very tempting, to pass without paying.


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## ardmacha (Jun 24, 2007)

Ireland's M1 toll 











The problem with electronic tolling is like mobile phone roaming. You can have the same technical standards for the tags, but there also have to be accounting arrangements. In the EU a tag from anther country can be read, but there needs to be the backup financial arrangements for "roaming".


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## LyndaleHoosier (Feb 9, 2008)

I live in Minnesota and we only have one toll road at the moment and it is actually only tolled a portion of the time. There are reversible lanes that are used as toll lanes/ HOV lanes during rush hour. This is called MnPass. If you are alone in the car and want to use the HOV lane, you can, but you must already have a transponder as there are no attendants on duty. You are billed monthly as the rate of the toll adjusts to the traffic levels. Here are a few pics:










Reversible section:










I grew up in northern Indiana and we had a similar system to what others were speaking of where you pull a ticket when you enter the toll road and then pay when you exit or when you hit the Chicago/Illinois border. You can also use a transponder if you subscribe. A few pics:


























At the end, this is what you hit going into Chicago:


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## cinosanap (Aug 10, 2004)

Forth Bridge New Toll Booths (2006)









Tay Bridge Toll Booths









Both are now defunct as of today because both tolls have been scrapped leaving Scotland with a toll free road network.


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## ADCS (Oct 30, 2006)

keber said:


> Is this Texas thing compatible in all US states? Probably not.
> And Europe has the same problem to introduce EU-wide compatible electronic toll system. EU Commission demands interoperability (satellite based system), but it is far from being available. When that becomes available, toll stations will become obsolete. But I'm afraid, that this will not happen in next 10 years.


You're right, the Texas system is only in-state. However, the nearest toll road out of state is the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in Oklahoma, which is over 150 mi (240 km) away. Outside of Oklahoma, the only toll road within 700 mi (1050 km) is the Kansas Turnpike. 

The more closely-linked systems in the Northeast and increasingly Midwest are all under the EZPass format, as mentioned before.


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## Sphynx (Jan 2, 2005)

In western Canada (BC), the freeway from the west coast through the mountains to the interior, Hwy 5 (the Coquihalla), has had a USD10.00 toll for the past ~22 years.


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## Gil (Mar 11, 2005)

TheCat said:


> In Ontario there is only one toll road (and I think it is the only one in all of Canada, but correct me if I'm wrong), and it is Highway 407 north of Toronto.


There's also the Coquilhalla Highway in BC ^^, and the 104 through the Cobequid Pass in Nova Scotia. The Cobequid has both manual and electronic options to pay the $4 car toll (higher for trucks and RVs). Keep in mind the 104 is only a 4-lane highway in a sparsely populated region of the province, so the toll plaza is relatively small.










http://www.highway104.ns.ca/images/tollplaza1.jpg

Plus the handful of toll bridges through the Maritimes (Saint John, Halifax-Dartmouth and the Confederation Bridge in NB-PEI).


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

people, why are you posting such huge pics, they are totaly unusefull


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## eomer (Nov 15, 2003)

picassoborseli said:


> *A1 or A10* in France:


This one is A10: Saint-Arnoux toll is 50 km far from Paris.
One the right of the picture, the HSR Paris-Le Mans/Tours.


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## picassoborseli (Sep 15, 2005)

^^
Merci!


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## sasuke41 (May 5, 2007)

Philippines


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## sasuke41 (May 5, 2007)

Philippines

NLEX


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## Bori427 (Jan 6, 2007)

Freeway #66 toll in Carolina,Puerto Rico


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## jchernin (Jul 21, 2005)

bay bridge toll plaza (actually 2: the smaller 2nd one on the left serves an on-ramp):









from google maps

supposed to be 20-something lanes across

fastrak allow vehicles with transponders to zip thru w/o stopping


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

^^ true in some regard, the thing is, during peak hours, the access to the bridge is controlled by a set of lights after the toll plaza. 

I'l ltry and snap a picture of it next time I go through.


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## Billpa (Feb 26, 2006)

Here's some from Texas I got from AA Roads.
Texas has been building a lot of new toll roads in recent years- I've never driven them but, I must say, they always look really nice.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ How can you pay on that last pic if you don't have a tolltag? Is that the Sam Houston Tollway (Route 8, beltway of Houston)


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## swaugh3 (Apr 24, 2008)

picassoborseli said:


> I decided to open a new thread about toll roads and toll gates.
> 
> Post your pics of toll gates!
> Post news of new and old toll roads!
> ...


One huge toll plaza! Feels more like a border crossing.


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## swaugh3 (Apr 24, 2008)

Does anyone have pictures of Florida toll highways and plazas?


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## swaugh3 (Apr 24, 2008)

Does anyone have pictures, maps, or any info about Jamaica's Highway 2000?


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## WeimieLvr (May 26, 2008)

Atlanta's GA 400 and its one and only toll plaza:

Looks like a toll shack compared to some of the ones in this thread - it's prettier at night 








http://www.flickr.com/photos/atlantasmittie84/715649741/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/tegllc/483667212/

Georgia Cruise Lanes (electronic cruise card attached to the windshield)








http://www.flickr.com/photos/beautifulmachine/487404239/


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

*Your country's tolling system*

I think it's nice to make an overview of the tolling system used in various countries, especially on motorways/freeways, and how they work. 

By tolling system, I mean something like vignettes, toll plaza's or electronic tolling, and not gas taxes/car taxes.

Let's start with *The Netherlands*

As of 2008, there is no general tolling system, only a few tunnels require toll, like the Kiltunnel near Dordrecht on the N217 and the Westerscheldetunnel on the N62. The motorways remain untolled as of 2008, however there are long-term plans to implement an electronic tolling, no earlier than 2011 for trucks, and later for cars. However, there are a lot of obstacles that need to be taken, and support is diminishing due to high implementing costs and reduced purchasing power for commuters.


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## xlchris (Jun 23, 2006)

^I didn't know we had toll parts in The Netherlands.


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## RawLee (Jul 9, 2007)

"Virtual" vignette here,for pre-set time intervals. By virtual, I mean that you dont actually receive a vignette,you just pay for it and then get the bill. Cameras and vehicles with cameras check it,or more precisely,your licence plate,if its registered in the database or not. Electronic payment for trucks is being prepared,it will be like the austrian system.

Additionally,trucks are to have this "vignette" on some non-motorway/expressway roads as well.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

Vignette.  That's for vehicles under 3.5 t, for others, toll booths are still in use.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

in Croatia: classic old fashioned mediteranean styled toll-booths.most of the motorways have closed system (ticket at entrance, paying at exit), but there are some sections with open tolling system (just paying without ticket) - those are A3 Zagreb - Bregana, A7 Rijeka - Rupa, D102 bridge Krk (you pay only for one direction, opposite is free), B8 tunnel Učka and B9 viaduct Mirna


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## Ron2K (Dec 28, 2007)

It's toll plazas in South Africa. Here's a map showing where they are, for anyone interested (PDF warning).


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## Qwert (Jun 25, 2006)

In *Slovakia* we use vignettes. There are available 1 week, 1 month and 1 year vignettes for all vehicles. For vehicles over 3.5 there are also 1 day vignettes. Prices depend on weight of the vehicle. For example 1 year vignette for car under 3.5 t costs € 36.51; 1 year vignette for a truck over 12 t costs € 929.43.

We are going to introduce electronic toll system for vehicles over 3.5 t next year. But, the project is delayed so it won't start on January 1st 2009 what was the original plan. Prices will be from € 0.06 to € 0.20 per kilometre. Together there will be tolled 1,900 km of roads.

Map of the tolled sections:











Red or pink or what's that colour is tolled for all vehicles.
Green is tolled for vehicles over 3.5 t only.
Sections which go through built-up area are for free.


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

In Italy: closed system, take the ticket upon entering and pay on your way out. Manned booths if you haven't got the right change or cards. Automatic booths for pre-paid cards, ATM and credit cards. Some short stretches feature the french style, money basket since it's a fixed price. Most everywhere for frequent travelers, radio transponders -aka Telepass - and the cost will be debited on your bank account/credit card. You just have to slow down to 70/80 km/h and the gate will open for you in and out. Fast and efficient. Becoming popular among regular citizens, not just company cars and trucks.


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## Accura4Matalan (Jan 7, 2004)

The UK only has one toll motorway, the M6 Toll Relief Road in Birmingham. It was completed in 2003 purely as an alternative for drivers to the very busy M6 through Birmingham.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia:









Other than the M6 toll, only certain bridges and tunnels are tolled.


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## go_leafs_go02 (Jan 16, 2007)

Ontario has one privately owned highway, and that is Highway 407 which serves a relief road to the free 401. (it has quite the high toll though)

It's completely automated.. Basically your license plate is recorded upon entering, and then exiting, and you're billed in the mail.

You have the option of having a transponder (which is affixed to your windshield from the inside) and then would be automatically billed. Frequent users have one of these.

And here is a 'tool booth'


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

go_leafs_go02 said:


> It's completely automated.. Basically your license plate is recorded upon entering, and then exiting, and you're billed in the mail.


I like that system. It's the cheapest possible way to recieve tolls I think. All you have to do is installing some traffic camera's and sponsor the local mailman. It could be fully automatic.


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## RoadUser (Aug 10, 2007)

Chriszwolle said:


> I like that system. It's the cheapest possible way to recieve tolls I think. All you have to do is installing some traffic camera's and sponsor the local mailman. It could be fully automatic.


Haven't we had this discussion before? 

Anyway, Israel's Road 6, which is our only toll road, has the same system.


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Melbourne uses electronic tolling through either a transponder in your car or by your registration plates. It's fully automated and there are no toll booths anywhere. You still have to buy a pass if you don't have an account, otherwise an invoice comes in the mail with a much higher price to pay.

Different systems are run by the two different companies operating tolled roads but they're fully compatible - you don't have to do anything to travel on another toll road anywhere in Australia.

The difference is that Brisbane and Sydney, which use toll booths, don't necessarily let you pass under a toll gantry at full speed like in Melbourne.


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## Palance (Mar 23, 2005)

Chriszwolle said:


> I think it's nice to make an overview of the tolling system used in various countries, especially on motorways/freeways, and how they work.
> 
> By tolling system, I mean something like vignettes, toll plaza's or electronic tolling, and not gas taxes/car taxes.
> 
> ...


Actually, There is 1 more spot in the Netherlands where you have to pay toll, that is at the bridge in the tiny place "Nieuwerbrug" (which means "New Bridge").

This is a picture made in January this yeat: Although there were signs indicating that the toll would resume on the 1st of January 2008 after a toll-free period, I didn't have to pay anything:










Furthermore: The toll-station on the Welsh M4:


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## Il_Milanese (Jan 31, 2006)

WalkTheWorld said:


> In Italy: closed system, take the ticket upon entering and pay on your way out. Manned booths if you haven't got the right change or cards. Automatic booths for pre-paid cards, ATM and credit cards. Some short stretches feature the french style, money basket since it's a fixed price. Most everywhere for frequent travelers, radio transponders -aka Telepass - and the cost will be debited on your bank account/credit card. You just have to slow down to 70/80 km/h and the gate will open for you in and out. Fast and efficient. Becoming popular among regular citizens, not just company cars and trucks.



Not only italians highways are probably the most expansive in the world, but the Telepass WalkTheWorld was talking about it's the only kind of subscription that make you pay more instead of less...for the charging of the toll on your bank account, you also have to pay bank expanses (if they didn't change it) hno: Couldn't our freeway be really free? Or with vignette like more civilised country do?


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

Verso said:


> Vignette.


You're kiddin' 

In the USA I've only paid toll for the Big Dig so far. In Alaska I haven't encountered any toll booth so far


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## Virginia Lover (Aug 5, 2008)

Timon Kruijk said:


> You're kiddin'
> 
> In the USA I've only paid toll for the Big Dig so far. In Alaska I haven't encountered any toll booth so far


Alaska doesn't have enough people for toll roads to work. And it pays for its highways and roads with oil from Prudhoe Bay.

But the rest of America does. My state (Virginia) has tolls. There are different approaches to tolls. On the capital beltway, which circles around Washington D.C., High Occupancy Toll Lanes are currently being built. HOT lanes require single-occupant vehicles to pay a toll that varies based on demand, called congestion pricing. The tolls change throughout the day according to real-time traffic conditions to manage the number of cars in the lanes and keep them free of congestion, even during rush hour. On these HOT lanes, you may also ride in them for free if your vehicle contains three or more persons.

Virginia also has High-occupancy vehicle lanes. These alleviate congestion for those who carpool, or travel with two or more people. Only cars with two or more people are allowed in them, and there is no fee. 

Virginia also has normal toll lanes, one of which is the Dulles Toll Rd., which people pay a fee with an E-ZPass. Dulles Toll Rd. takes you to Washington Dulles International Airport. Most states in the Northeast use the E-ZPass, which allows you to ride at near-highway speeds through a gate, where the fee is paid electronically by a wireless device you hold up on your winshield.


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## Virginia Lover (Aug 5, 2008)

How is Alaska, Timon Kruijk? Where in Alaska are you?


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

There is no national toll road system in the US. Some states have them, and others don't. I live in a state that doesn't (Connecticut). However, we border states that do, so it's unavoidable if you want to get to certain areas.

Pretty much all the states in the Northeast with tolls (which is pretty much ALL except Vermont and CT) use *EZ-PASS*, an electronic tolling system. 











I don't know all that much about it because I don't need one here. But from what I've seen, it reads your transponder on your car when you pass a gate so you just drive by the toll gate instead of stopping. I think you get a bill later and you get reduced rates. Don't know really. :dunno:

Here's a picture of how it works:


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## Virginia Lover (Aug 5, 2008)

Didn't I just say that?


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## §A8 (Jul 30, 2008)

invincible said:


> Melbourne uses electronic tolling through either a transponder in your car or by your registration plates. It's fully automated and there are no toll booths anywhere. You still have to buy a pass if you don't have an account, otherwise an invoice comes in the mail with a much higher price to pay.


you can pay at certain gas stations before you use the tollways. That way you won't get charged admin fees and other shit. Just the toll.


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## Coccodrillo (Sep 30, 2005)

WalkTheWorld said:


> In Italy: closed system, take the ticket upon entering and pay on your way out. Manned booths if you haven't got the right change or cards. Automatic booths for pre-paid cards, ATM and credit cards. Some short stretches feature the french style, money basket since it's a fixed price. Most everywhere for frequent travelers, radio transponders -aka Telepass - and the cost will be debited on your bank account/credit card. *You just have to slow down to 70/80 km/h and the gate will open for you in and out.* Fast and efficient. Becoming popular among regular citizens, not just company cars and trucks.


Officially, the limit is 30 km/h, because these gates have barriers and higher speeds are dangerous...if the barrier doesn't work.

In Switzerland motorways can be used with a vignette. It costs 40 CHF/40 USD/25 EUR for a year. There are no cheaper versions for shorter periods.

There are others tolled roads, the Great St Bernard and Munt la Schera tunnels and the 7+1 train shuttles. For these services you pay between 20 and 60 CHF. For some of these train shuttles there is no road alternative, or the alternative road is closed during winter. There is usually a shuttle train every 30-60 minutes.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

How much road tax does a Swiss driver pay? The vignette alone is pretty cheap for a whole year.


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## Hezery99 (Jul 3, 2008)

Malaysia uses three modes of toll payment - cash, Touch n Go and Smart Tag. Touch n Go is an electronic payment system where you need to tap a Touch n Go card at the card reader at the entry toll booth and exit toll booth. The card has a stored prepaid value and can be topped up.

Meanwhile, Smart Tag is essentially an electonic tag system that uses a Touch n Go card inside the electonic tag. Since it uses a Touch n Go card, Smart Tag users may need to remove their Touch n Go card and tap it manually at toll booths without Smart Tag lanes.

There are 2 tolling system used in Malaysian expressways - open system and closed system. For the open system, drivers need to pay fixed amount of toll at the toll booth. For the closed system, drivers take their toll tickets at entry toll booths and pay the amount of toll at exit toll booths. The toll is based on the distance.


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

go_leafs_go02 said:


> It's completely automated.. Basically your license plate is recorded upon entering, and then exiting, and you're billed in the mail.


This system is being used in Norway as well. Still, toll booths are found all over the country, and any driver will face them, some time or another.


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## Virginia Lover (Aug 5, 2008)

Virginia Lover said:


> Alaska doesn't have enough people for toll roads to work. And it pays for its highways and roads with oil from Prudhoe Bay.
> 
> But the rest of America does. My state (Virginia) has tolls. There are different approaches to tolls. On the capital beltway, which circles around Washington D.C., High Occupancy Toll Lanes are currently being built. HOT lanes require single-occupant vehicles to pay a toll that varies based on demand, called congestion pricing. The tolls change throughout the day according to real-time traffic conditions to manage the number of cars in the lanes and keep them free of congestion, even during rush hour. On these HOT lanes, you may also ride in them for free if your vehicle contains three or more persons.
> 
> ...


How are your country's toll lanes? Are there many different approaches to tolling?


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

Virginia Lover said:


> How is Alaska, Timon Kruijk? Where in Alaska are you?


Beautiful. I really like it. I was very lucky to see Mt. McKinley. I started in Anchorage and drove north to Denali. Then to Fairbanks, where I am now. Tomorrow I leave for Valdez and then the day after the day after tomorrow I drive back to Anchorage. 
And of course there are no tolls over here. The busiest road of the state, the George Parks highway (Anchorage-Fairbanks) is almost completely empty.


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

Coccodrillo;23736176[B said:


> _]Officially, the limit is 30 km/h,_[/B] because these gates have barriers and higher speeds are dangerous...if the barrier doesn't work.


Hot damn!
Busted....


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Virginia Lover said:


> Didn't I just say that?


Yeah, but you were talking about it from your perspective in Virginia.


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

Ticket on entry and pay on exit or electronic(optional, you dont have to stop but you need a box on the windscreen. This only is for motorways.


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## Onur (Dec 2, 2004)

It's just for the Otoyol network in Turkey except recently built roads(Bursa Beltway, G.Antep-Ş.Urfa).

In Istanbul bridges, cash zones are lifted. Only for automatic card systems.


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

In the Bay Area, we have several bridges which are all tolled. Otherwise I've never come across a toll road. 

For us, we register for a system called FastTrak. It charges either through the transponder or your license plate. If you drive one of your cars through, and it's not registered, they send you a ticket for $25, but allows you for the option to register that car. Once registered, the ticket is waived, and you'll get charged automatically.


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

*Do HOT lanes work in urban areas?*

There is a growing use of HOT lanes in sub-urban areas and commuter belts but is there any evidence that the HOT lane principle works in crowded urban areas?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

HOT = High Occupancy Toll right? Does it mean you can also use the lane when you're alone, and want to pay toll in order to keep moving, or do you really need to have more than 2 people on board? 

Given the fact that HOV-lanes pop up everywhere (they're especially keen on them in California), I got a hunch it might work.


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

yes essentially high occupancy lane with the excess capacity 'sold' via a variable toll system to ensure the HO traffic keeps moving ata minimum speed.


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## diegodbs (Mar 12, 2008)

Chriszwolle said:


> HOT = High Occupancy Toll right? Does it mean you can also use the lane when you're alone, and want to pay toll in order to keep moving, or do you really need to have more than 2 people on board?
> 
> Given the fact that HOV-lanes pop up everywhere (they're especially keen on them in California), I got a hunch it might work.


In Madrid you don't pay any kind of toll for using the HOT lane, if there are less than 2 people on board you just can't use it or else you'll be fined.

Not many km of HOT lanes in Madrid though, only 16 km along the A-6 highway, it has been working since 1994.

HOT lane in Spanish: BUS-VAO lane (autobús-Vehículos de Alta Ocupación)


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

HOV - spare capacity not sold hence lanes always seem somewhat empty
HOT - Spare capacity sold until lanes flowing at optimum speed

HOT lanes give more bang for the buck


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

So you can just buy your way through the traffic jam? Ultimate capitalism I guess, but if people want to do it, be my guest. 

The problem with HOV lanes is that they often consume more space, especially with those HOV lanes which are not immediatly adjacent to the regular lanes, you have one HOV lane where you could've put 2 normal lanes. 

Proponents of HOV lanes will say it has a higher capacity because it transports more people, however, capacity is calculated in the number of vehicles, not the number of travellers inside a vehicle. However, I do believe HOV lanes are a good choice in major cities because it stimulates people to have a higher amount of travellers per vehicle. The downside is that HOV lanes can only exist if the regular lanes are often jammed, so it's not a real solution to traffic congestion.


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## diegodbs (Mar 12, 2008)

Chriszwolle said:


> So you can just buy your way through the traffic jam? Ultimate capitalism I guess, but if people want to do it, be my guest.
> 
> The problem with HOV lanes is that they often consume more space, especially with those HOV lanes which are not immediatly adjacent to the regular lanes, you have one HOV lane where you could've put 2 normal lanes.
> 
> Proponents of HOV lanes will say it has a higher capacity because it transports more people, however, capacity is calculated in the number of vehicles, not the number of travellers inside a vehicle. However, I do believe HOV lanes are a good choice in major cities because it stimulates people to have a higher amount of travellers per vehicle. The downside is that HOV lanes can only exist if the regular lanes are often jammed, so it's not a real solution to traffic congestion.


In Madrid it is inmediately adjacent to the lanes, in fact it is in between the left and right lanes.

http://xarxamobal.diba.cat/XGMSV/imatges/practiques/bus_vao.jpeg


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## G5man (Jul 28, 2008)

Chriszwolle said:


> So you can just buy your way through the traffic jam? Ultimate capitalism I guess, but if people want to do it, be my guest.
> 
> The problem with HOV lanes is that they often consume more space, especially with those HOV lanes which are not immediatly adjacent to the regular lanes, you have one HOV lane where you could've put 2 normal lanes.
> 
> Proponents of HOV lanes will say it has a higher capacity because it transports more people, however, capacity is calculated in the number of vehicles, not the number of travellers inside a vehicle. However, I do believe HOV lanes are a good choice in major cities because it stimulates people to have a higher amount of travellers per vehicle. The downside is that HOV lanes can only exist if the regular lanes are often jammed, so it's not a real solution to traffic congestion.


In my state of Washington. Our HOV lanes are connected right to the freeway as an additional lane plus a shoulder on the side. The upside of HOV lanes is that some cities use their buses on the freeways making the travel times more reliable with an HOV lane due to congestion. What might want to be recommended if you can stick two lanes into 1 HOV lane, perhaps create an express tollway (2 HOT lanes essentially) where HOVs are still free and single occupancies can pay there way in based off of congestion based pricing. 

If there is a solution to traffic congestion, there has to be more modes of transport and high frequencies in order to make the mode competitive against the car.


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## TheCat (Apr 21, 2006)

RoadUser said:


> Haven't we had this discussion before?
> 
> Anyway, Israel's Road 6, which is our only toll road, has the same system.


That's because the system of Road 6 is directly based on our 407 (designed by the same company)


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## Virginia Lover (Aug 5, 2008)

10ROT said:


> Yeah, but you were talking about it from your perspective in Virginia.


Well, we do have a balanced perspective... being a swing state (purple state). And don't we have similar perspectives? Being Americans


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

If there is a solution to congestion then it is adopting a users pay principle.

Most people treat roads as 'free' ways. They are not free they cost money to build and maintain. If the true cost of your journey (road building, maintenance, congestion, petrol, policing, pollution etc etc) was actually built into the cost then public transport would be cost competitive and there would be more of it. Cities would be designed to facilitate public transport and popular urban areas would be close to good subway routes not in the MuckBurbs.

my 2 pennies worth..


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

Chriszwolle said:


> capacity is calculated in the number of vehicles, not the number of travellers inside a vehicle.


Governments count cars because it is easier not because it is the right measure. Roads are for people and freight, vehicles are just a means to an end not the end!


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Yeah, but road capacity is simply measured in the number of vehicles per hour per lane.


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## Longershanks (Mar 10, 2008)

I believe the UN uses passenger numbers and Tonnes of Freight to calculate traffic density. If your local Government uses a rough count of cars and HGV's then they're are either being lazy or have close relationships with the construction industry. Vehicles are a means not the end.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Longershanks said:


> I believe the UN uses passenger numbers and Tonnes of Freight to calculate traffic density.


Not for design specifics, only to calculate the traffic prestation. (like in billion miles travelled). As far as I know, the UN does not design freeways.


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## Morsue (Mar 28, 2008)

For the Stockholm congestion zone there are numerous toll stations that register the licence plates and then the system sends the owner a bill the following month. This means that only Swedish cars are subject to the toll. Cars need not slow down when passing these.

The only other two toll stations are at the two bridges leading to Norway and Denmark. These are conventional toll plazas of the type seen in Spain, France, Portugal, Morocco, Croatia etc.


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

The Chicago area has around 450KM of toll roads. The tolls vary, but it costs around 40 cents to drive on them for 16KM. 

They're currently widening almost all of the toll roads to between 8 and 10 lanes.

I-80
I-88
I-90
I-94
I-294
I-355

In 1959 the system carried around:

42,800,000 vehicles

In 2006 the system carried around:

764,137,000 vehicles


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## andrelot (Aug 6, 2008)

In Brazil we have fixed-price toll boths only, on selected roads, operated by private companies under 20 to 30 yrs agreements. Because almost all of those roads are not freeways or with controlled-acess, with plenty of sideway acess and local traffic, it is estimated that more than half of traffic just don't have to pay tolls because they don't drive through toll both.

There's a handfull of electronic-collecting schemes with magnetic cards (being phased out) or electronic tags, but unfortunatelly not all of them are mutually compatible.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Chicagoago said:


> The Chicago area has around 450KM of toll roads. The tolls vary, but it costs around 40 cents to drive on them for 16KM.


Wow, that's like € 0,016 per km. I think they charge almost 7 times more in France and Italy.


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## Ron2K (Dec 28, 2007)

^^ Just for purposes of comparison - the most tolled road over here is the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg. (Doing that drive in a few weeks by the way, will see if I can get some photos.)

At the moment, the toll fees for a light motor vehicle are:

Mariannhill: R6.50
Mooi: R27.00
Tugela: R38.00
Wilge: R36.00
De Hoek: R26.00

That's R133.50 (€11.50, $17.20). The trip is 560km or so, so that's R0.23/km (€0.021/km, $0.031/km). Not too bad.

Having said that, there are proposed toll plazas along a lot of Johannesburg's freeways; if they are ever built (which seems rather likely), some sections of road there will likely have a higher rate per kilometre than the N3.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Well, toll has to be compared to the average income ofcourse. You can't charge 15 eurocents per kilometer on an African motorway if it is the same like a meal in say Senegal or Nigeria.


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## Ni3lS (Jun 29, 2007)

I believe that French toll ways are one of the most expensive in the world. U have to pay about 65 euro to get from the swiss border to the south of Belgium. :nuts:


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## Patrick (Sep 11, 2002)

Verso said:


> Vignette.  That's for vehicles under 3.5 t, for others, toll booths are still in use.


I read in another forum, that there is a roundabout south of Pesnica (where a motorway ends?) which technically is part of the motorway. that means, that you need a vignette just to drive though this roundabout, even when you don't want to enter the highway.

The fine if you are catched by the police if you don't have a vignette is around 300€. But there is a bike road nearby, and if the police catches you there, the fine is around 85€ (but you have to drive back).

is that true?


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

Virginia Lover said:


> Alaska doesn't have enough people for toll roads to work. And it pays for its highways and roads with oil from Prudhoe Bay.


Actually you have to pay toll for the one-laned rail/road tunnel between Porter and Whittier


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Toll evaders could lose cars *
16 September 2008

DOVER, Del. (AP) - A new Delaware law could punish toll evaders with the temporary loss of their car.

The Delaware Department of Transportation and the Delaware River and Bay Authority are working jointly to identify the most serious toll cheats on Interstate 95, Route 1 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

Those with unpaid tolls and penalties totaling more than $1,000 could have their cars impounded until they pay up.

Drivers with an outstanding toll obligation are advised to promptly contact the DRBA or DelDOT to resolve their debt.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Atlanta car pool lanes may soon charge toll *
18 September 2008

ATLANTA (AP) - Drivers wanting to use the car pool lane on Atlanta interstates soon might have to pay for the privilege.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is moving forward with a more than $400 million plan to convert all 44 miles of HOV lanes in the city to toll lanes. Large car pools and buses could ride for free, but single drivers and small car pools would have to pay.

State officials hope to start construction in 2010.

Meanwhile, the state is looking for federal grants to finance the project. About half of the money would go to converting the HOV lanes and the rest would go to mass transit and park-and-ride lots.

State officials don't yet know how much the toll price or minimum car pool size would be.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Slovenia's road tax system unfair to foreigners: EU *
2 October 2008
Agence France Presse

Slovenia, under criticism from the European Commission, denied Thursday that recently introduced road vignettes discriminated against short-term visitors.

"Slovenia's position remains unchanged unless we receive some additional arguments," junior transport minister Peter Verlic told journalists.

The European Commission said earlier it had sent Slovenia "a letter of formal notice to stop discriminatory treatment of occasional users on Slovenian toll roads."

The dispute is over road stickers for cars and motorbikes that Ljubljana introduced in July. They are valid only for six or 12 months.

This worked against foreign nationals or foreign residents who only occasionally used Slovenia's motorway network compared to Slovenian nationals or Slovenian residents, the Commission said in a statement on its website.

Slovenia should allow foreign residents transiting through the country to buy a shorter-term vignette, the Commission suggested.

The motorway stickers, which cost 35 euros (55 dollars) for six months and 55 euros for a year, have also been criticised by automobile associations and tourist organisations in Germany and Austria.

Their nationals often drive through Slovenia to their holiday destinations in Croatia, Greece or Turkey.

But Slovenia's transport ministry said in a statement Thursday: "There is no direct or indirect discrimination (of foreign drivers) since both domestic and foreign users have equal possibilities to use the vignettes."

Verlic added: "The introduction brought exactly what the government expected: better flow on the highways, less waiting at tolls and a reduction of transit on local roads."


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I feel like Verlic thinks we don't wanna pay tolls at all. I don't think that's true, I don't mind paying a little toll, but they should introduce short-term vignettes for like 2 days for say, € 5 - 10. Or take the usual north-south routes, and multiply the distance by € 0,1 per km. That's still a pretty high price, but nothing like the € 35 madness.


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

^^That 2 day vignette would be a good idea, but that other idea about the north-south routes is not. When coming from any country in north-western Europe (Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Denmark, Germany......) and heading for Zagreb, you drive approximately 190 kms in Slovenia. When doing that route twice (you want to go back home, of course) you pay 2×190×0.1 = 38 Euros. Than the €35 vignette is still better. However, this is still to expensive, I agree.


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## Dan (Jun 16, 2007)

You have to pay 35 euros even if you're just driving through? That's ridiculous.


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

^^Unfortunately, yes. I believe that there are people who made maps with toll-free roads for transit traffic :lol:


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

Dan1113 said:


> You have to pay 35 euros even if you're just driving through? That's ridiculous.


yes, even if you use Pyhrnautobahn (Zagreb - Maribor - Graz...) for silly 15 km of motorway you must paj 35€ (bypassing is really bad, you must go through centre of Maribor and really low important local roads, and still you're using rounabout at Pesnica which is under tolling


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Tight budgets, rising costs have NY highway managers putting off paving and other projects *
13 October 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New Yorkers weathering the national economic downturn can expect another sort of rough ride as state and local highway managers rework road construction plans, scaling back or postponing projects ranging from bridge reconstruction to road resurfacing.

They blame tight budgets, rising inflation and the high price of oil, which has driven up the cost of asphalt, the key ingredient in sealing roadways to keep out pothole-causing moisture. Asphalt, also known as blacktop, is derived from crude oil, and its cost has been rising so far and fast that it is busting some highway construction and maintenance budgets.

"The price has quadrupled in the last six months or so, and in some cases there have been shortages," said A.J. Castelbuono, president of the Associated General Contractors of New York. "That's something that just wasn't anticipated."

Managers at the New York State Thruway Authority -- who rely heavily on toll money to pay for construction and maintenance -- said this month they're putting off $250 million worth of planned projects. They blamed rising construction costs and a decrease in toll-paying drivers.

The Thruway's scaled back roadwork plans come just months after officials there approved a new series of toll hikes they said were needed to pay for the work. Projects taken out of the plans through 2011 include replacing toll barriers and rebuilding and resurfacing roadways and bridges.

The problem is spreading beyond the 641-mile superhighway, though. State and county project planners, facing the same rising costs and an uncertain outlook for future funding, are backing off of some previously planned roadwork.

Planners at the New York State Department of Transportation who had 325 projects in the works are expecting to pull 30 of them from this year's plan. That's because the $1.7 billion they had to work with in this year's budget isn't going as far as expected, said Carol Breen, an agency spokeswoman.

Budget managers are still figuring out which projects will have to be postponed and expect to have a list in the next few weeks, Breen said.

"We're definitely scaling back, we just don't know exactly where yet," she said.

So-called "megaprojects" -- such as the rehabilitation of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge and Highbridge Interchange Ramps on the Cross Bronx Expressway and the reconstruction of a stretch of Route 17 between exits 116 and 121 in Orange County -- won't be affected.

But state highway managers will likely defer other types of routine work, including plans to resurface 670 miles of road throughout the state. "We're going to have to scale that down," Breen said.

Roadwork contractors have noticed a big difference this year, Castelbuono said.

The typical flurry of notices about upcoming contracts for work that needs to be done before the cold weather sets in has been conspicuously absent, he said.

"We can't figure out exactly what they're trying to do," Castelbuono said. "When you delay letting a project by a week or two, you don't just lose a week or two -- especially at this time of year."

Less road resurfacing this fall is likely to mean more potholes next spring.

That's because potholes are caused by snow melt and rainwater that seep through cracks in the road surface to the underlying dirt and gravel. As the water freezes and thaws, it weakens a section of the road and ultimately causes a pothole.

County highway managers are scrambling to get their roads in good shape for the winter as well, but most are scaling back their plans or finding other ways to cut costs, said James Brady, president of the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association.

"Everyone's in the same boat," said Brady, who is Wayne County's highway superintendent. "If your budget last year allowed you to do one mile, this year with the higher costs its about a half mile."

With higher costs and stagnant budgets, county highway managers are being forced to cut back their maintenance and construction or find less costly ways to do the work, Brady said.

In Livingston County, Highway Superintendent Don Higgins said his crews are doing a little bit of both.

On major reconstruction projects there, workers used a method known as chip sealing -- which sprays a light layer of asphalt over a layer of crushed stone -- instead of the more expensive hot mix asphalt, Higgins said.

"It's not as long lasting, and its noisier because the surface has the stones exposed," he said. "But it seals the roadway, which is the most important part."


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Maine Turnpike toll hikes expected in February *
Wednesday October 15, 3:12 pm ET
By Glenn Adams, Associated Press Writer

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Maine Turnpike users can expect to see toll increases averaging 23 percent in February, a year sooner than expected, turnpike Executive Director Paul Violette told a legislative committee Wednesday.

The speedup in toll increases is unavoidable, given declining revenues, increased maintenance costs and the impact of the Wall Street financial collapse, Violette told the Transportation Committee in advance of votes that will set the stage for the hikes.

The turnpike normally adjusts tolls in five-year cycles, but even after canceling some projects and cutting back others it sees no alternative to moving up the toll increases by a year, Violette said. The last toll hike was in February 2005.

"The authority has no choice," Violette said following the committee meeting. He noted that without an increase in tolls, which will amount to about $20 million, the trustees who represent turnpike bond holders can impose the increase themselves.

The turnpike authority on Thursday is expected to ask its staff to formulate new rates for the various vehicle classifications and turnpike user groups. By Dec. 12, it will vote on the new toll structure, which would go into effect Feb. 12, 2009, a year sooner than new tolls would take effect in more economically stable times, Violette said.

Last March, the authority reduced its operating budget by more than $1 million per year and put $3 million worth of projects on hold, Violette said. Then, seeing a decline in traffic as fuel prices spiked this summer, the 100-mile highway's overseers terminated $3 million worth of projects and reduced others by $2 million, Violette said.

It soon became clear that no amount of cutting could forestall jumping a year ahead with a toll increase, Violette said.

"I know it's a tough time. We have searched high and low for a way to avoid this," Violette said.

Declining revenues, due in large part to people's tendency to drive less when gas prices shoot up, and increased construction and maintenance costs create a doubly whammy that affects financing for the state's network of non-toll highways. State officials have been struggling to come up with solutions so highways and bridges can be kept in shape.

Sen. Dennis Damon, who co-chairs the Transportation Committee, described the twin pressures of lower revenues and higher costs as the gaping jaws of an alligator.

"The alligator's mouth is opening wider and wider," the Trenton Democrat warned at Wednesday's meeting.

A resolution to be voted on Thursday by the turnpike authority says toll highway revenue projections for 2008 have been revised from 2.5 percent growth to negative 1.7 percent. It says general highway construction costs have increased by more than 38 percent since 2005.

Costs of specific maintenance items have also increased sharply since 2005, it says. Diesel fuel is up 117 percent, deicing salt is up 83 percent and paving mix has risen 82 percent.

Still, the Maine Turnpike says its per-mile charges for passenger cars and commercial vehicles are among the lowest in the nation.

Violette said Maine is not alone in raising its tolls, saying similar increases are being imposed on other highways including New Jersey's turnpike and Garden State Parkway. Increases have been under discussion in Massachusetts and New Hampshire raised its turnpike tolls last year.


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## hoosier (Apr 11, 2007)

You know, there is a way to avoid all of these budget shortfalls, toll road privatization, and toll hikes. And that is to INCREASE funding for infrastructure at the federal level, which has been woefully shortchanged over the past few decades. Increased infrastructure spending will create jobs and hel pull the economy out of recession.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Perhaps we need a 1930s-style infrastructure push once again.


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## hoosier (Apr 11, 2007)

hkskyline said:


> Perhaps we need a 1930s-style infrastructure push once again.


I agree. It would really help the economy. Congress is considering another stimulus package would include increased infrastructure spending.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Illinois tollway eyes bonds for $1.8 bln plan *

CHICAGO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority would issue bonds to finance a $1.8 billion plan to add special bus and ride-sharing commuter lanes and new interchanges to the tollway system, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and tollway officials said on Wednesday.

The bonds would be backed by increased toll rates for commercial vehicles and for single-passenger cars using the new commuter lanes, according to a statement.

The 80 miles of so-called green lanes would cost $400 million, while the interchanges carry a price tag of $1.4 billion.

"The Illinois Tollway has the solid financial foundation and the engineering capabilities to immediately begin the process of building these long-awaited interchange improvement projects," said John Mitola, the tollway authority board chairman. "In addition, the introduction of green lanes reduces our impact on the environment, while saving drivers time and money."

The tollway board, which runs the 286-mile system in northeastern Illinois, is expected to vote on the plan at its meeting next month, following a public hearing, the statement said.


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## marki (Nov 23, 2007)

*Australian Toll Roads*

Here is a small table I've made of toll roads and statistics in Australia.


```
[B]Toll Road	 	$ revenue (Mil)	trips (Mil)	 Tolls AU$ 
[/B]CityLink		362.8		247.9	 	1.65 to 6.21 
M1 (Eastern Distrib)	75.3		17.4	 	5.00 
M2 (Hills)		120.6		33.8	 	4.40 to 6.60 
M4 (Western Mwy)	88.5		40.6	 	2.75 
M5 (South Western Mwy)	163.6		42.3	 	3.80 
M7 (Westlink)		153.2		41.8	 	0.44 to 6.57 
Gateway Motorway	90.6		33.6	 	2.90 
Logan Motorway		69.9		37.2	 	2.00 to 3.20 
Sydney Harbour Tunnel	43.7		?	 	3.00 
Sydney Harbour Bridge	85.91		?	 	3.00 
Lane Cove Tunnel	unknown		unknown	 	2.69 
Cross City Tunnel	unknown		unknown	 	4.07
```
Mark.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mass. turnpike spent $160K on raises as tolls hikes weighed; official says money saved overall*
22 November 2008

BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority gave $160,000 in raises to 13 managers in the last year, even as it prepared for toll hikes to pay down Big Dig debt.

But the agency's executive director, Alan LeBovidge, said the raises went to employees promoted to take on the responsibilities of positions that were eliminated. He said the savings from the job eliminations outweighed the cost of the raises.

The Turnpike board voted last week to raise tolls around Boston, including doubling them to $7 at the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels.

Michael Widmer of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation told The Boston Globe the timing of the raises, as unpopular toll hikes were considered, was unfortunate.

But he added the workers are taking on broader duties, and the agency needs strong management during tough times.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

From Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece:
8 Toll stations (minimun price at each station= 1,80 €, Maximum= 2,75 € )
Totally: about 13 € (only from Athens to Thessaloniki)


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

does Greece have some motorway sections with closed tolling system, or it is everywhere opened? (closed: take ticket and pay at exit; open: just pay at toll booths)


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## Majestic (Jan 22, 2007)

Interestingly, some time ago a group of polish drivers filed a suit in court against tolls on motorways. They argued that stopping on a motorway is forbidden. And if they make you stop your car to pay toll, that's no longer a motorway in the strict sense thus collecting a toll is illegal. Of course the suit has been dismissed.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I think tolls can be justified. It depends on other taxes already existing, and that's why I'm against additional tolling in the Netherlands. They say on average it's not gonna cost more, but I doubt that, since there are more cars than households in the Netherlands, and quite some people have a second car that doesn't drive very much, so the "average" might be something like 12.000 kilometers, and LOTS of people drive more than that. If you commute 25 kilometers, that's already about 12.500 kilometers a year


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## H123Laci (Dec 6, 2007)

Timon91 said:


> Stop kidding. You know what I mean


yes, i know. 

btw: have you heard about the new car-powered perpetum mobile?

its amazing how stupid some people is... :lol:


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## H123Laci (Dec 6, 2007)

ChrisZwolle said:


> So paying the price for being in the same old traffic jam.


we have a saying about this situation:

unvolition (or nonvolition?) ends up in groaning... hno:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Public promised say in WVa turnpike tolls *
8 December 2008

PRINCETON, W.Va. (AP) - A member of the West Virginia Turnpike's governing board says there won't be any "back door" deals to raise tolls.

Princeton businessman Bill Seaver says everything will be done in full view of the public this time. Seaver is a member of the Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority.

The authority tried nearly three years ago to increase tolls on the 88-mile highway, but was met with fierce opposition. The toll hike was overturned by a Kanawha County judge who said the public didn't receive sufficient notice when the increase was proposed.

Seaver says a toll increase is needed to maintain the turnpike, which runs from Charleston to Princeton.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*MIG takes axe to value of toll roads *
17 December 2008
The Sydney Morning Herald

INFRASTRUCTURE

"Dislocation" in the world economy is the reason Macquarie Infrastructure Group has given for slashing its toll road portfolio by a further $2.1 billion.

Barely four months since the group cut the value of its portfolio from $10.2 billion to $8.6 billion, while presenting its full-year accounts, MIG warned yesterday it expected its valuation to be about $6.5 billion at December 31.

"This outcome has been affected by changes to asset discount rates reflecting the current market environment, lower forecast traffic volumes driven by the recessionary environment in the northern hemisphere, higher assumed financing costs across the portfolio, and the impact of macro-economic factors such as long-term inflationary expectations and foreign exchange rates," the group said in a statement to the market.

It is the starkest admission to date by any Australian-listed toll road operator that the sector is not as safe as once assumed.

The revaluation will take MIG's net asset backing per security to $3.02, down 34 per cent from $4.59 at the start of the year.

MIG declined to specify new valuations for each of its roads, the top three in value being the 407 ETR in Canada, the M6 in Britain and APRR in France.

If not for the recent slump in the dollar, the write-down could have been far more savage, given that 90 per cent of MIG's portfolio is in the US and Europe.

The revaluation includes MIG's stakes in the Westlink M7, Sydney, and the Lusopontetoll road in Portugal, both of which it hopes to sell by early next year.

It is believed the valuation of the M7 is unchanged - MIG wants to sell its 50 per cent stake for $805 million. The M7 is the only MIG asset to have increased in book value this year.

MIG shares fell 7.5c to $1.63 yesterday. The main support for the security price was the fact that MIG is still trading well below its net asset backing.

Also helpful was the group's reiteration that it intended to pay a 10c distribution for the six months to December 31.

Even though infrastructure funds are scrapping old policies of funding distributions through debt, MIG has not shown any sign of funding its payouts from cash flow generated solely by its toll roads. About 35 to 45 per cent of its distributions are still financed by debt.

The company said it expected to hold $1 billion in cash on its books after the distribution. It is debt-free at a corporate level, but has about $10 billion of debt tied to its toll roads at an asset level.

"The adjustments themselves are not a surprise," said Andrew Chambers, an Austock analyst. "What was a surprise was the timing and the quantum."


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Commerce Dept. rejects SoCal toll road appeal *
18 December 2008

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) - A federal agency on Thursday rejected an appeal to build a toll road that would cut through one of California's most popular state parks and pass near a world-class surf break.

The U.S. Department of Commerce rejected the appeal because there is at least one reasonable alternate route for the road.

The agency also discounted arguments that building the road was vital to national security, something that had been advanced by the highway's proponents.

The decision upholds a ruling by the California Coastal Commission that objected to the 16-mile road after opponents argued it would harm endangered species at San Onofre State Park and block sediment flows that create famous surf breaks at a beach called Trestles.

"Hooray, hooray, hooray! I'm so delighted," said state Treasurer Bill Lockyer, who sued to stop the toll road twice in his former post as state attorney general. "It's a great victory for California."

The Transportation Corridor Agencies, which proposes to build and finance the $1.3 billion road in Orange and San Diego counties, appealed the decision to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

TCA chairman Jerry Amante said he was shocked and disappointed. He said the agency would not decide whether to sue the Commerce Department before a Jan. 8 board meeting.

"This is a terrible decision today for millions of Southern California commuters," Amante said.

"This decision is another blow to the Southern California economy. We are now destined for gridlock and increased greenhouse emissions," he said.

The toll authority had argued the road would play a key role in national security by providing an alternative to Interstate 5 in the event of a wildfire or accident at the nearby San Onofre nuclear power plant.

Toll road opponents advocate widening I-5 to deal with increased congestion.


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## Nikkodemo (Aug 23, 2006)

Toll near of Puebla City, Mexico.


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## entreact333 (Jun 3, 2007)

*toll settat Morocco*


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Report on highway tolls pending *
1 January 2009

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - A government panel is expected to receive a report later this month on whether tolls should return to Connecticut's highways.

Cambridge Systematics, a transportation research group, is scheduled to present its results to the state Transportation Strategy Board on Jan. 15. Jill Kelly, a board member, told the Connecticut Post in Thursday's edition that the report will lay out many options.

The strategy board, an independent group created by state officials to help guide Connecticut's transportation policy, suggested in 2003 that the state study the idea of toll roads to help ease traffic congestion.

Prices would be raised during rush hour and lowered when there's less volume.

It's uncertain whether the strategy board will support the idea of tolls after receiving the report. While the board has shown interest in tolls over the years, it has not specifically recommended tolling lanes in its reports. Instead, the group has said the subject merits more attention and study.

Kelly said tolls might work better in some parts of Connecticut than others. Also, different types of tolls are being researched, such as high-occupancy tolls or HOT lanes.

Such lanes allow solo drivers to pay a fee to use lanes normally reserved for carpoolers and buses, now known as HOV or high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Vehicles carrying multiple passengers would still drive in HOV lanes for free.

While Gov. M. Jodi Rell and other state politicians have opposed tolls, the HOT lanes concept has gained in popularity in other parts of the U.S.

Connecticut removed toll booths from I-95 in 1985, two years after seven people died in a crash at the Stratford toll booths. Tolls were later removed from the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways in 1987.


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## hoosier (Apr 11, 2007)

Hey SoCal, how about expanding Metrolink commuter rail instead of building a massive new tollroad through a pristine natural area? Build more roads to REDUCE CO2 emissions? What a crock of shit.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ Two free flowing roads are better for CO2 emissions than one constantly congested one.


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## hoosier (Apr 11, 2007)

ChrisZwolle said:


> ^^ Two free flowing roads are better for CO2 emissions than one constantly congested one.


But what about the loss of vegetation and the disruption of ecosystems?

How about adding track and trains to Metrolink which serves the I-5 corridor?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

LA shouldn't have growed so massive that there isn't room for additional infrastructure to cope with the tremendous population growth. Population growth -> more traffic -> requires more road capacity. Simple as that.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Toll express lanes ease traffic on urban highways *
30 December 2008

MIAMI (AP) - Attorney David Kubiliun is a typical South Floridian: He lives in a suburb, works in downtown Miami and spends several hours a week sitting in maddening traffic on Interstate 95.

Earlier this year, his 14-mile slog home took 50 minutes out of his day, if there weren't any accidents. "It was murder," he said.

But his evening commute recently got a whole lot better -- for a price. Drivers like him can pay anywhere from 25 cents to $6.20 to drive in a new express lane for six miles at or above 45 to 50 mph, guaranteed.

Now Kubiliun gets home in 20 minutes.

"That thing's a godsend," he said. "I can even make it to my kid's baseball practice."

These High Occupancy Toll lanes -- or HOT lanes -- are praised by urban planners, environmentalists and many drivers. From I-10 in Houston to I-15 in Salt Lake City, drivers can pay extra to zip past traffic stuck in the slower "local" lanes. HOT lanes also are being added in northern Virginia.

They've been criticized by some as "Lexus Lanes" because of the cost, but in Miami and other cities, it's not just the drivers with fat wallets who can use them: Carpoolers, motorcyclists, buses and hybrid owners drive for free.

"It's one of several huge trends in urban highway transportation," said Tyler Duvall, acting undersecretary of policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation. "You're seeing at least 10 major metro areas with HOT lanes or HOT lane projects. If you're a major city and you've experienced congestion, you either have a HOT lane or you're going to have one in five years."

But do they reduce congestion? Toll lanes haven't been around long enough for researchers to say. Some speculate they could add to congestion by encouraging drivers who can afford to pay the tolls to live in far-flung suburbs.

But many experts say the option of paying for a quicker commute should be available and the proceeds can go toward improving public transportation or roads.

"In the future, congestion pricing is going to be the way we get around in this country," said Gabriel Bernal-Lopez of Miami, a transportation engineering student at the University of Florida and the founder of transitmiami.com, a widely read blog in South Florida. "It's about time that motorists pay their fair share, and HOT lanes are a step in the right direction."

These toll lanes began -- like many traffic trends do -- in congested Southern California in the mid-1990s. By 2006, they were in place in Texas, Minnesota and Colorado, and the planning of South Florida's $122 million I-95 project was under way.

Federal and state officials are big proponents of HOT lanes, largely because they cost less and require neither new asphalt nor the lengthy approval process for building or expanding new highways.

But groups like the AAA are a bit skeptical.

"AAA believes that all roads should be toll-free. Where toll roads are utilized, reasonable alternative toll-free routes should always be available," said Gregg Laskoski, spokesman for AAA South. HOT lanes are only appropriate if an existing car pool lane is underutilized and the change won't contribute to congestion, he said.

That's exactly the situation in Miami. The six-mile HOT lane was already in place as an underused high-occupancy vehicle lane for cars with two or more passengers.

I-95 in South Florida is notoriously congested, with 230,000-plus motorists using the highway on a typical weekday. Because of dense urban development and little available cash, expansion was not an option.

So the state began narrowing its lanes and launched a public-awareness campaign for the HOT lane, including how to get a remote transponder that automatically pays the toll as cars pass toll gates.

The project hit a snag in June, when engineers first placed flexible sticks to divide the toll lane from the regular highway; people were caught off guard and a few motorists darted in between the dividing sticks, causing extensive backups and headaches for commuters. At least one rollover injury crash was reported.

But six months later, when drivers began to pay, there were no crashes, no road rage incidents, no problems. The tolls ranged from 25 cents to $1.75 on that first day, varying by the amount of congestion.

Not everyone's been paying the toll. The Florida Department of Transportation says 173,218 motorists used the tolls between Dec. 5 (when the lanes officially opened) and Dec. 14 (the most recent day the statistics were collected). Of those motorists, 12.8 percent, or 22,215, didn't pay.

Motorists who blow through the toll lanes without paying via SunPass transponder (a device that automatically deducts money from a prepaid account) will be sent a toll violation notice. If the toll isn't paid within 21 days, the notice can lead to a $100 fine.

Officials expect to break ground on another HOT lane in the southbound stretch of I-95 in Miami soon.

Still, just because the lanes will get a motorist to his destination faster, it doesn't mean people will actually use them.

Kyle Cobia, 26, of Miami drives on I-95 to visit his parents in Fort Lauderdale several times a week. He wouldn't pay more than a quarter to use the lanes.

"I would rather wait an extra 15 minutes and sit in traffic than pay," he said.

For attorney Kubiliun, who has never paid more than $2 to go northbound, the southbound lane will allow him to reclaim another half-hour from the maw of traffic.

"I would pay if it was $6. I would even pay up to $10," he said. "When you do a cost-benefit analysis, with gas and the amount of time sitting in traffic, it's worth it."


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Americans are little cheapskate's when it comes to tolls. They avoid it whenever they can. Even if tolls are much much lower than in Europe.


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## questbargo (Jan 8, 2009)

hoosier said:


> Hey SoCal, how about expanding Metrolink commuter rail instead of building a massive new tollroad through a pristine natural area? Build more roads to REDUCE CO2 emissions? What a crock of shit.





hoosier said:


> How about adding track and trains to Metrolink which serves the I-5 corridor?


Not everyone works in Santa Ana, Anaheim or Downtown LA though.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Texas kills 50-year road building plan after outcry *

SAN ANTONIO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Texas road officials on Tuesday scrapped a $180 billion plan to build a giant system of toll roads and commuter rails criss-crossing the state in favor of a smaller slate of infrastructure projects.

The state Department of Transportation abandoned the Trans Texas Corridor, the centerpiece of Gov. Rick Perry's long-range transportation plan, after objections from communities and farm groups along the planned route, which would have involved seizing large swaths of private property.

In 2002, Perry unveiled an ambitious plan to build 4,000 miles (6,437 km) of transport corridors a quarter mile wide, which would include room for high-voltage power lines, commuter and freight rail lines, and five road lanes in each direction.

In an "updated vision" for the plan, Texas officials want to build several smaller, narrower segments stretching from San Antonio to the Oklahoma border and from the Rio Grande Valley to Texarkana.

"Texans have spoken, and we've been listening," said Amadeo Saenz, executive director of the Department of Transportation. The new plan "goes a long way toward addressing the concerns we've heard."

A spokeswoman for Perry said the new plan was welcomed.

"The Trans Texas Corridor was merely a concept," the spokeswoman, Allison Castle, said. "Transitioning to an updated vision for infrastructure in the state is a positive move."

President-elect Barack Obama has made rebuilding the nation's infrastructure a crucial part of his economic stimulus plan, and many governors, from California to New York, are already vying for dollars.

Investment banks have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in infrastructure projects, and developers, long accustomed to doing deals overseas, are eager to launch projects in the United States.

The Texas Farm Bureau, as well as landowners along the proposed corridor, had heavily opposed the original plan because large swaths of private property would have been seized by the state through eminent domain proceedings.

"This would have been the largest taking of private property in the state's history," Farm Bureau spokesman Gene Hall said, noting that Over 500,000 acres (202,343 hectares) of land could have been transferred to state control from private hands.

Citizens groups like Corridor Watch have opposed the project for years, warning that Perry's push to raise funds by selling operating rights to private companies in exchange for highway building funds would raise costs for consumers.

"This was the Tony Soprano version of highway construction," David Stall of Corridor Watch said, referring to the HBO television series about a fictitious New Jersey mobster. "They give away the farm in exchange for a road project."

Such groups also warned that Perry's plan would have put Texas roads in the hands of foreign owners.

Spain's Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte S.A. had been tapped to finance a portion of the megaroad project in exchange for leasing and operating rights for 50 years.

A Cintra spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

Legislators feared that private developers would benefit at the expense of taxpayers and they had already barred Perry from signing more deals in some areas.

That two-year moratorium on new deals expires in the second half of this year and citizens groups are calling on lawmakers to extend it.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

The whole plan was a bit exaggerated. I mean, a 10 lane freeway in rural areas? If they widen the I-35 to 6 lanes that ought to be enough as long as they don't construct new cities along the freeway on a pace Houston and Dallas do.


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## sotavento (May 12, 2005)

questbargo said:


> Not everyone works in Santa Ana, Anaheim or Downtown LA though.


For each and every street,avenue and higway in California reserve 2 tracks for a conversion to tram/metro/comuter railway ... simple "economics". :lol:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Maine Turnpike replaces exact-change lanes with dedicated E-ZPass lanes* 
7 January 2009

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The Maine Turnpike's exact-change lanes are on the road to extinction.

The Maine Turnpike Authority announced Wednesday that it is in the midst of converting its automatic coin lanes to dedicated E-ZPass lanes.

Officials say more than 50 percent of turnpike users pay their tolls electronically and less than 10 percent now use automatic coin lanes to pay their cash tolls.

Spokesman Dan Paradee said the Feb. 1 toll adjustment will make the automatic coin lanes nearly obsolete. He said the new toll structure provides greater savings to E-ZPass users and raising the entry cash toll from 60 cents to $1 at all interchanges is sure to reduce the use of the untended coin baskets.


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## hoosier (Apr 11, 2007)

questbargo said:


> Not everyone works in Santa Ana, Anaheim or Downtown LA though.


But the toll road was pitched as a reliever for I-5. Well, Metrolink is a reliever for that route and expanding it doesn;t require tearing up wilderness areas.


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## ADCS (Oct 30, 2006)

ChrisZwolle said:


> The whole plan was a bit exaggerated. I mean, a 10 lane freeway in rural areas? If they widen the I-35 to 6 lanes that ought to be enough as long as they don't construct new cities along the freeway on a pace Houston and Dallas do.


You can herd cats easier than you can corral land developers.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

ADCS said:


> You can herd cats easier than you can corral land developers.


Yeah that's true. And local governments are always interested in those land developers because of extra property tax income.


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## paF4uko (Jul 12, 2008)

Verso said:


> How not, when you have to pay for driving on Bulgarian roads?


I see that no one replied since... The Bulgarian system is pretty much like the Slovene one except for the validity period of vignettes and respectively their price. When you enter the country, you have to buy a vignette at the border if you don't have a valid one. There are 3 types of vignettes for each of the 3 categories of vehicles: weekly, monthly and for the whole year.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

^^ And it's obligatory for all roads in Bulgaria, right? In Slovenia you only need it for motorways and expressways.


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## paF4uko (Jul 12, 2008)

For all roads out of cities, towns or village. However there are several exceptions, for example the Varna - Zlatni Pjasâci 2x2 road, because, de facto, the city of Varna goes beyond Zlatni Pjasâci, the whole area being densely populated. I think Sofia's ring road is another exception of the vignette system.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Brisbane to lose toll booths from July 1 *

BRISBANE, Jan 18 AAP - Brisbane's toll roads will go cash-free two years earlier than planned, promising to save drivers 10 minutes on their journey.

The electronic system, dubbed "free flow tolling", was to be introduced in 2011 but will now start on July 1.

Transponders will be provided for free, and will work at the Gateway Motorway and Logan Motorway tolls, and future toll roads planned for the city.

They will also be compatible with electronic toll systems interstate.

Treasurer Andrew Fraser said where other states required a deposit on the transponder, charged a minimum annual usage fee or a rental fee, the Queensland government would not.

"The transponders will be free and we'll introduce a 25 cent rise to the toll on the Gateway bridge in 2011 when the full benefits of free flow tolling are in place," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"That means Queenslanders will only ever pay for what they use."

Drivers who pass the tolls without a transponder will have their licence plates recorded, and will have to contact Queensland Motorways to pay the toll, plus a 40 cent fee.

The change could put up to 130 toll collectors out of work, but some are expected to remain with the company.

Meanwhile, savings in the Gateway Motorway upgrade project will pay for the government to add extra lanes on the stretch between Wynnum Road and Old Cleveland Road.

The area, which caters for 90,000 vehicles each day, was to be widened to six lanes, but will now be eight lanes.

The expansion was forecast to be needed by 2017, but would be cheaper in the long run to deliver now, Mr Fraser said.

"What that means also is about another 100 days of employment for the people working on this project, which is important in the current (economic) environment," he said.

When the upgrade is complete in July 2011, it is expected to save commuters up to 25 minutes a day in conjunction with free flow tolling.

With the 25 cent toll rise and allowing for CPI, the toll will be between $3.55 and $3.60.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Report: Connecticut drivers likely to fight any proposal to reinstate tolls on state highways *
19 January 2009

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Consultants studying the possibility of reinstating tolls on some Connecticut highways are warning that officials could face a tough battle from the public.

The state Transportation Strategy Board is reviewing a report by Cambridge Systematics, a Massachusetts consultant expected to unveil the results of its $1 million analysis next month.

The consultants were asked to review ways to ease gridlock on Connecticut roads, including whether adding tolls on some highways would be feasible.

The report outlines options such as creating toll lanes parallel to highways that would let drivers travel faster; charging drivers statewide based on miles they travel; and limiting tolls to highways that need work.

"Public acceptance will be more of a challenge," the report said of an idea to charge only trucks. "Diversion to local roads may be significant."

Fairfield County drivers also could be charged higher "congestion pricing" fees to use Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway during rush hour and varying fees at other times, the report said.

"Tolling existing toll-free corridors would be a challenge," the report said.

The Transportation Strategy Board expects to review the report and make its recommendations this spring to the General Assembly and Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Rell has said she opposes reinstating tolls.

Tolls were removed from Connecticut highways and bridges in the 1980s, and repeated suggestions to reinstate them have been greeted with mixed emotions by lawmakers and drivers.

Karen Burnaska, a member of the Transportation Strategy Board, said a small state like Connecticut faces complex issues with tolls.

"We have a lot to consider," Burnaska said. "Connecticut has some very unique features and you can't assume that what works on the Massachusetts Turnpike will work on I-95."

Some other options being examined in the report are:

-- Imposing tolls on all limited-access highways in the state, including the Merritt Parkway, I-95, I-91, I-84 and Route 8.

-- Tolling all traffic on I-95 north of New Haven and I-84 near Danbury, or tolling specially created express lanes to fund expansion of those corridors.

-- Placing tolls at state borders, ensuring out-of-state travelers pay a share of maintaining highways.

-- Tolling only truck traffic.

-- Converting highway shoulders into so-called HOT lanes, allowing drivers pay to use lanes reserved for carpoolers or buses.

State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, vice chairman of the legislature's transportation committee, said it is likely tolls will face strong opposition.

Congestion pricing in Fairfield County and elsewhere punishes residents unless the state gives them the option of better rail service and mass transit, Duff said.

"We don't have our mass transit house in order yet, so people don't have a realistic option besides using their cars," Duff said. "On our railways we don't have enough parking or seats right now."

State Rep. Lile Gibbons, R-Greenwich, another member of the transportation committee, said she supports electronic tolls to raise money to maintain heavily traveled highways.

"The technology of the EZ-Pass system is so advanced that there is no resemblance to the toll booths of yesterday," Gibbons said.

"We have too many people who use Connecticut as a pass-through to get from the southern part of the country into New England, who add to the wear and tear of our highways and contribute nothing to the upkeep," Gibbons said.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

I guess Brisbane must be the last city to get rid of toll booths and go cash-free, I can't think of any others that actually use booths any more (maybe Sydney has a few, though I think they're currently being zoned out)


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## Morsue (Mar 28, 2008)

Oslo still uses toll booths for their congestion charging. Stockholm has a similar system to Brisbane but the downside is that only Swedish registered cars can be tolled as cameras take shots of the license plate as grounds for tolling.


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

city_thing said:


> I guess Brisbane must be the last city to get rid of toll booths and go cash-free, I can't think of any others that actually use booths any more (maybe Sydney has a few, though I think they're currently being zoned out)


Yeah, in Sydney the Eastern Distributor, M2, M4 and M5 motorways still have cash booths, I think. They want to make the M2 cashless, in the same way that they've recently removed the cash booths from the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which would leave only one or two cash booths (depending on direction of travel) on the orbital. I don't know of any plans to make the Eastern Distributor, M4 or M5 cashless, although it will probably happen eventually. All new toll roads in Sydney are being made cashless.

While we're on the subject of Sydney's toll roads, the Sydney Harbour Bridge should not have a toll on it any longer. When it opened in 1932, the government said it would only toll the bridge until it had paid off the loans that it had to take out to build the structure. These loans were finally paid off in the early 1990s, but the toll was retained in order to help fund the construction of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The tunnel has been open, and generating its own income through tolls, since 1994, but there is still a toll for southbound traffic on the Harbour Bridge. hno:

An oddity about Sydney's roads is that the government started building the M4 and M5 motorways (which were then called the F4 and F5 freeways) many years ago, with the promise that they would not be tolled. In the 1980s, private companies were contracted to fill in the missing links that had not yet been built (except the innermost sections, which were permanently cancelled in the 1970s), and allowed them to put tolls on the roads. Because of the government's promise not to toll the roads, however, it is possible to claim back the toll paid on these roads from the government - but not the sales tax paid on the toll! :nuts:


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## Morsue (Mar 28, 2008)

Robosteve said:


> An oddity about Sydney's roads is that the government started building the M4 and M5 motorways (which were then called the F4 and F5 freeways) many years ago, with the promise that they would not be tolled. In the 1980s, private companies were contracted to fill in the missing links that had not yet been built (except the innermost sections, which were permanently cancelled in the 1970s), and allowed them to put tolls on the roads. Because of the government's promise not to toll the roads, however, it is possible to claim back the toll paid on these roads from the government - but not the sales tax paid on the toll! :nuts:


You mean you can hold politicians accountable for their promises?? This is unheard of! kay:

Strange thing about the sales tax though. How can you tax a transaction that hasn't really occurred? :weird:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Massachusetts Turnpike Authority schedules toll-hike discussion, not expected vote *
21 January 2009

BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority apparently has decided to delay a planned toll increase.

A vote scheduled for Thursday on whether to double some polls has been converted into a discussion only at a meeting of the authority's board.

Board spokesman Mac Daniel refused to elaborate, but board member Mary Connaughton said it's clear the Patrick administration wants to delay the hike until it and the Legislature can discuss a comprehensive transportation overhaul.

The board had voted Nov. 14 on a plan to raise tolls within Route 128, including from $1.25 to $2 at the Weston and Allston booths and from $3.50 to $7 at the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels near Logan International Airport. It scheduled a second vote for mid-January, following four public hearings.

"I think it marks a re-evaluation of the $100 million toll hike," Connaughton said. "Clearly the people were outraged by this amount."

Connaughton also said the need for the hike has been curtailed after the Pike was able to eliminate a $35 million debt from a so-called debt swaption by making a $3 million payment.

"That financial Sword of Damocles was removed and gives the Turnpike more room to work with the commonwealth," she said.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

The Massachusetts Turnpike costs about 1.8 eurocents per kilometer. Compare that to the 8.5 cents a French tollroad costs... tolls in the U.S. are still very low compared to Europe. 

correction...

Tolls in Europe are still very high compared to the U.S.


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## Billpa (Feb 26, 2006)

And the quality of the roads shows the difference in the amount of money being collected.


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

Morsue said:


> Oslo still uses toll booths for their congestion charging.


Not correct, Oslo's toll booths dissappeared last year. Cars without Autopass transponders are recorded on video. The registration number is detetected using advanced image processing, and the cars are billed later. The system works for cars from many foreign countries as well. Other cities in Norway have been using a similar systems for years. In fact, one of the leading automatic toll system providers is Norwegian (www.q-free.com). Q-free for instance delivered the system to Stockholm, and also at least some of the systems of Sydney.

BTW: Neither Oslo nor any other city in Norway has congestion charging, the money is collected to fund infrastructure, not to reduce traffic.


Robosteve said:


> Yeah, in Sydney the Eastern Distributor, M2, M4 and M5 motorways still have cash booths, I think. They want to make the M2 cashless, in the same way that they've recently removed the cash booths from the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which would leave only one or two cash booths (depending on direction of travel) on the orbital. I don't know of any plans to make the Eastern Distributor, M4 or M5 cashless, although it will probably happen eventually. All new toll roads in Sydney are being made cashless.
> 
> While we're on the subject of Sydney's toll roads, the Sydney Harbour Bridge should not have a toll on it any longer. When it opened in 1932, the government said it would only toll the bridge until it had paid off the loans that it had to take out to build the structure. These loans were finally paid off in the early 1990s, but the toll was retained in order to help fund the construction of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The tunnel has been open, and generating its own income through tolls, since 1994, but there is still a toll for southbound traffic on the Harbour Bridge. hno:
> 
> An oddity about Sydney's roads is that the government started building the M4 and M5 motorways (which were then called the F4 and F5 freeways) many years ago, with the promise that they would not be tolled. In the 1980s, private companies were contracted to fill in the missing links that had not yet been built (except the innermost sections, which were permanently cancelled in the 1970s), and allowed them to put tolls on the roads. Because of the government's promise not to toll the roads, however, it is possible to claim back the toll paid on these roads from the government - but not the sales tax paid on the toll! :nuts:


Regardless of how it is funded, it is clear that Sydney needs a better infrastructure. It does have a very limited PT compared with other cities of it's size, and I found the city quite difficult to navigate by bike. In other words, Sydney is car-dependent like any US city, but does not have the road network to make it work. To make matter worse, many of it's main arteries are running straight through residential areas, with parked cars, drive ways and what have we not....


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Billpa said:


> And the quality of the roads shows the difference in the amount of money being collected.


Yeah, but tolls are only one kind of income. Other auto mobility related taxes are also much higher in Europe than most other countries. A car is basically seen as an endless source of income here. In my opinion, all those taxes are getting out of hand and are becoming increasingly disproportional. 

The income vs spending ratio is already about 9:1 in NL for roads.


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

54°26′S 3°24′E;31182640 said:


> Regardless of how it is funded, it is clear that Sydney needs a better infrastructure. It does have a very limited PT compared with other cities of it's size, and I found the city quite difficult to navigate by bike. In other words, Sydney is car-dependent like any US city, but does not have the road network to make it work. To make matter worse, many of it's main arteries are running straight through residential areas, with parked cars, drive ways and what have we not....


I agree, but better infrastructure for Sydney doesn't seem to be a priority for the government. The Spit Bridge widening was recently cancelled, simply because the government thinks it would cost too much money, meanwhile the entirety of the Northern Beaches area is forced to commute via either the Spit Bridge - a four-lane, single carriageway, 60 km/h opening bridge - or the Roseville Bridge - a 2x3, 80 km/h high level bridge that proceeds to dump traffic onto one of two four lane single carriageways with parked cars in the outside lanes.

They want to connect the F3 to Sydney's orbital with a tunnel, too, but because their priority is a Sydney bypass and not improving travel within Sydney, _they aren't going to be allowing access between the tunnel and the orbital facing east_, meaning that traffic between the F3 and Sydney's CBD will still need to exit the motorway where it currently ends and fight its way down the 60 km/h Pacific Highway, which is often terribly congested and has very narrow lanes for such an important stretch of road.

Finally, a couple of years ago the government scrapped plans for an M4 East tunnel, which would finally complete the F4 Freeway that had its innermost section permanently cancelled in the 1970s, albeit underground. The logic behind this move eludes me, as traffic along Parramatta Road east of where the M4 ends during rush hour is so terrible that rat-running is a common occurrence, putting strain not only on the designated main artery but also on many 50 km/h streets in the area.

And yet, while some areas of Sydney have such poor radial connections, the government recently widened the outbound carriageway of the M2 from two to three lanes - which wouldn't necessarily have been a bad idea, if they didn't reduce the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 (and 70 through the tunnel) to cope with the fact that there is now inadequate shoulder space. :bash:


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

It will probably never happen because widening is impossible in Connecticut (except in rural areas, land costs are too high), but the idea of HOT lanes could be very feasible down more congested corridors like I-95 and many highways in Greater Hartford.

On I-91 and I-84 in the Hartford area, there are already sections with HOV lanes.


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## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

Robosteve said:


> ... the government recently widened the outbound carriageway of the M2 from two to three lanes - which wouldn't necessarily have been a bad idea, if they didn't reduce the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 (and 70 through the tunnel) to cope with the fact that there is now inadequate shoulder space. :bash:


Is the 80km/h speed limit permanent? And for what length does it apply?


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

deranged said:


> Is the 80km/h speed limit permanent? And for what length does it apply?


I read somewhere that the reduced speed limit is only in place while they investigate options for widening the motorway; when they added the extra lane all they did was used up the shoulder space. What confuses me is why they didn't just widen the motorway itself to begin with, and also why they only added a third lane in one direction - at the moment you can travel 80 km/h westbound, but 100 km/h eastbound. I would have thought it would only make things worse, since you have to merge back into two lanes halfway along the motorway anyway. And knowing the way our government goes about these things, it's going to be a long time before we actually see any additional widening works, so even if it isn't permanent it's going to be around for quite some time (and already has been for more than a year now).

As for the length that it applies for, the 80 km/h and 70 km/h sections put together go for about 6 km. Here is the motorway on Google Maps with the 3+2 section highlighted; most of it has an 80 km/h speed limit westbound, but the westernmost part through the tunnel is 70. Eastbound, there are two lanes with a 100 speed limit (except at the toll point, where it reduces to 80 I think). East of here there is the 2x2 Lane Cove Tunnel with a limit of 80 in both directions, and west of here there is a 2x2 motorway with a limit of 100 both ways.


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## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

Thanks for the info... sounds like a bit of a shambles really.

It reminds me of the Centenary Hwy / Ipswich Mwy interchange in Brisbane. They took an inordinate amount of time to install traffic lights on the roundabout. For some reason, they applied roadworks speed limits for a much longer distance than necessary. Barely after that was complete, work began on the duplication of the formerly 2x1 Cent Hwy for about 1km south of the roundabout. This took most of a year, and while they constructed the actual road quickly, for months a 1km section of motorway-standard dual-carriageway sat there with no actual roadworks taking place, just a couple of unobtrusive cones etc on the side, limited to between 40 and 60km/h.

When the upgrade finally finished, there were no roadworks for much of 2008, but late in the year, they resumed. Now, it's the construction of the partial-stack interchange and duplication of the Cent Hwy (now M5) further south. Of course, a little foresight when building the original Cent Hwy extension south of the Ipswich Mwy would have been invaluable, but even considering that, I just don't understand the inefficiency.


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

deranged said:


> Thanks for the info... sounds like a bit of a shambles really.
> 
> It reminds me of the Centenary Hwy / Ipswich Mwy interchange in Brisbane. They took an inordinate amount of time to install traffic lights on the roundabout. For some reason, they applied roadworks speed limits for a much longer distance than necessary. Barely after that was complete, work began on the duplication of the formerly 2x1 Cent Hwy for about 1km south of the roundabout. This took most of a year, and while they constructed the actual road quickly, for months a 1km section of motorway-standard dual-carriageway sat there with no actual roadworks taking place, just a couple of unobtrusive cones etc on the side, limited to between 40 and 60km/h.
> 
> When the upgrade finally finished, there were no roadworks for much of 2008, but late in the year, they resumed. Now, it's the construction of the partial-stack interchange and duplication of the Cent Hwy (now M5) further south. Of course, a little foresight when building the original Cent Hwy extension south of the Ipswich Mwy would have been invaluable, but even considering that, I just don't understand the inefficiency.


Yes, that's one road that I've often thought seemed to be quite inadequate, as it left the Western Freeway unconnected to the rest of the motorways in Brisbane. I was glad to hear they're turning it into a motorway. From what I've read, Brisbane is spending its road infrastructure funding much better than Sydney is, considering the Centenary Highway upgrade, the Gateway Bridge duplication and those tunnels they want to build near the CBD. Also, the recently completed Tugun Bypass and the proposed Toowoomba Bypass will help connect Brisbane to its surrounding areas much better.

Sydney's idea of improving its connections to surrounding areas includes upgrading the Great Western Highway from 60 km/h single carriageway to 60 km/h dual carriageway, choosing not to build the Southern Freeway which was identified as necessary to handle traffic needs in 1952 and taking a ridiculously long time to decide whether or not to connect the F3 to the orbital. The only time anything good ever seems to get done anymore with the regional road network in NSW is when the Federal government steps in, such as with the M7 to improve peripheral traffic movement around Sydney and the upgrading of the Pacific and Hume Highways to form a motorway from Brisbane to Melbourne by 2017 - if the missing link in Sydney is ever built, that is.


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## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

I agree - Brisbane is at least trying to make up for lost time. The Gateway Mwy and Pacific through Tugun are projects that were long overdue. I still think the M7 should have been six lanes, and I'm not convinced of the viability of the Hale St Bridge.

I couldn't believe the F3-M2 link plans when I first heard of them :wallbash:
Still, it's hard to believe the freeway network of Sydney just 10 years ago - no M7, no M5 East, no Eastern Dbr, no LCT, no CCT...

It's the short-sightedness and piecemeal work that grates with me. If you undertake a project, you'll regret it if you choose not to do it properly the first time.


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

deranged said:


> I agree - Brisbane is at least trying to make up for lost time. The Gateway Mwy and Pacific through Tugun are projects that were long overdue. I still think the M7 should have been six lanes, and I'm not convinced of the viability of the Hale St Bridge.
> 
> I couldn't believe the F3-M2 link plans when I first heard of them :wallbash:
> It's hard to believe the freeway network of Sydney just 10 years ago - no M7, no M5 East, no Eastern Dbr, no LCT, no CCT...
> ...


Sydney had good radial freeway plans in the 1950s, they were just never built to completion, which is why you have oddities like Burns Bay Road, a 2x2 secondary road with grade separated junctions - it was originally planned to connect to the F3 in the north, and what is now the Western Distributor to the south. But it seems like the current government would rather just act as though there's nothing wrong with our infrastructure than bother to put in the funding to fix it.

I've read the arguments for and against the Hale Street Bridge, and I think that while it may not be a bad idea, it shouldn't be a priority. The system of tunnels connecting the Pacific Motorway, Gympie Road and the Western Freeway seem to me like the best way of reducing strain on central Brisbane.

With regard to the F3 to M2 connection, I think that if they want to build it as a tunnel under Pennant Hills Road, they should at least extend it to connect directly onto Silverwater Road, so that traffic bound for Metroad 6 doesn't need to travel via Marsden Road and Stewart Street, which is a horrible route for such an important arterial route to take, in my opinion.

By the way, are you familiar with Ozroads? Its writer doesn't have a very pleasant writing style, but it can be a great source of information.


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## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

Yeah I've spent a fair bit of time on Ozroads - that site is excellent. BTW, what do you find unpleasant about the writing style of Ozroads?


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## Robosteve (Nov 6, 2008)

deranged said:


> Yeah I've spent a fair bit of time on Ozroads - that site is excellent. BTW, what do you find unpleasant about the writing style of Ozroads?


I don't know, I just find that something about it requires the reader to do more work than should be necessary to absorb the information; it doesn't have much natural flow to it. I also find it irritating that it spells Gwynneville as "Gwynnieville", for some reason.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Serbia cuts road tolls for foreign vehicles: report*
5 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Serbia's government decided Thursday to reduce road tolls for foreign vehicles and make them equal with domestic ones, Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic said.

"We expect that the amount of traffic of foreign lorries through Serbia will increase," Dinkic said as quoted by Beta news agency.

Previously, operators of foreign bus and lorry services paid twice as much as Serbian counterparts for travel between Belgrade and the southern city of Nis, a route used mainly by Greek and Bulgarian companies.

Serbia has for years come under international pressure to standardise the fees for all vehicles.

The move came after some 150 Serbian trucks were stranded in Greece, whose authorities refused to let them cross its borders until the issue was resolved.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

That was stupid anyway. I don't immediatly want to put up the word "discrimination", but it's senseless that foreigners should pay more tolls, just because they're foreigners.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

Well, Serbians aren't rich, so the only way to get them on toll highways is with low prices, so they have to bring money in with foreigners, who are usually richer (or else they wouldn't be driving hundreds of kms through foreign countries). I don't feel discriminated, it's not like we have to pay more b/c we're "bad, ugly foreigners", but b/c we're richer.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ What's next, different tolls for every nationality?


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## PLH (Mar 9, 2007)

Heh, not so far.

Imposing different tolls on foreigners is good as it show citizens: Look - you pay taxes on roads, so road tolls are lower for you.

However, if we make it like that foreigners pay more(and not Serbians less), it won't work.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

ChrisZwolle said:


> ^^ What's next, different tolls for every nationality?


You don't pay much more, the point is that Serbians pay less, and I'm willing to pay a fair price (or a bit higher), so that Serbia can finally build some more motorways. If everyone payed as much as Serbians pay now, we'd never see any new motorways in Serbia.


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## keber (Nov 8, 2006)

Looking at current toll prices in Serbia even domestic truckers and bus drivers pay hefty tolls: truck with trailer pays 25 euro cents per km, foreign trucker even 38 cents per km (almost as in Austria) - 175 € per one way trip north-south. 
Personal cars pay 4,5 cents per km (as in Slovenia before vignettes), foreign cars 6,6 cents per km.

So I wouldn't say, that Serbians pay less, no, just foreigners pay much more.


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## Billpa (Feb 26, 2006)

Here in America many states will offer discounts to motorists who use the local electronic tolling device- is there any way Serbia could do something like that? Or is it too late now?


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## Treasure (Mar 24, 2006)

Is the UK the only country where you cant get a green card for Serbia?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Bangkok Expressway sees 2009 profits up, plans bonds *

BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Bangkok Expressway PCL , a Thai tollway operator, expects a recent toll increase and lower interest costs to boost 2009 revenue by 5.4 percent and push net profit up from last year, its managing director said.

The company planned to issue bonds worth about 3.5 billion baht ($100 million) this year and next to refinance debt and benefit from low interest rates, Payao Marittanaporn told reporters late on Thursday.

"The growth forecast for revenue stems from higher toll rates. Interest expenses have fallen as well; falling interest rates help reduce our burden," Payao said.

BECL, which operates a network in Bangkok under a 30-year government contract, raised toll rates by 12.5 percent in September to 45 baht per vehicle from 40 baht.

However, the toll increase could hit traffic volume, Payao said. He expected volume to be similar to last year's 924,000 vehicles per day, despite lower fuel prices.

The company, due to release yearly results later this month, is forecast to report a 4 percent fall in 2008 revenue to 6.96 billion baht and a 3.5 percent fall in net profit to 1.36 billion, according to 11 analysts polled by Reuters Estimates.

Revenue in 2009 is estimated to rise 5.5 percent, with a 21 percent rise in net profit.

Lower funding costs will help. Payao said every one-point cut in banks' lending rates would help reduce interest expenses by 130 million baht.

The company, majority owned by Thailand's second-largest construction firm, Ch Karnchang , has total debt of 25 billion baht, with 13 billion baht in loans and the rest in bonds, Payao said.

Last October the company sold bonds worth 7.5 billion baht in two tranches, with 3-year bonds carrying a coupon of 5.20 percent and 5-year bonds having 5.20-6.00 percent coupons.

At 0351 GMT BECL shares were up 2.5 percent at 16.50 baht, while the main Thai stock index <.SETI> was up 0.9 percent. ($1=35.15 Baht)


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*How other states manage toll roads *
15 February 2009
Associated Press Newswires

A look at toll road operations in other states:

--East Coast: Interstate 95 from Washington, D.C., to Maine is a patchwork of free highways and toll roads crossing six states, including Delaware and Maryland.

--Florida: Regional authorities operate toll routes near Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville.

--Illinois: Illinois Tollways operates Chicago's expressway system.

--Indiana: State has one toll road.

--Pennsylvania: Major toll road expansions have been extensions of its main east-west turnpike.

--New York: A variety of transportation agencies oversee toll roads and bridges in metropolitan New York and crossing rivers upstate.

--New Jersey: State turnpike authority operates two toll routes. A regional authority operates a third, and separate officials handle Delaware River bridges.

------

SOURCE: The Blade


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## marki (Nov 23, 2007)

No wonder they expect a fall in volume, the tolls are getting expensive and are not worthwhile for short trips because you spend just as much time getting on and off the expressway as driving underneath it.

I would give them credit, they have an excellent english language website: http://www.becl.co.th/2006/EN/main.asp

Mark.



hkskyline said:


> *Bangkok Expressway sees 2009 profits up, plans bonds *
> ...
> 
> BECL, which operates a network in Bangkok under a 30-year government contract, raised toll rates by 12.5 percent in September to 45 baht per vehicle from 40 baht.
> ...


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*User-pay the way for many *
14 February 2009
The Toronto Star

Governments everywhere are running out of money to build and maintain roads, with fuel taxes having only one-third the purchasing power they did 40 years ago.

Increasingly, new road-toll laws are winning support, particularly in Europe, for their ability to force motorists using the roads to pay for the infrastructure. New tolling technology - and GPS looks to be the front-runner - can do this by replacing general road taxes with targeted per-use billing.

Beyond the revenue source, governments have a new tool for controlling urban congestion.

Drivers in Stockholm are charged depending on the time of the day they enter the downtown "congestion tax area." Traffic was reduced by 22 per cent and carbon dioxide emissions were cut by 14 per cent during the initial trial period. The project earned widespread support and residents voted to keep it in place permanently.

The best-known urban toll is the "Kengestion tax" introduced by former London mayor Ken Livingston in 2003. A complex array of cameras is used to photograph vehicles as they enter central London, and they are charged about $15 daily for the privilege.

The benefits of the London toll have been contested. While vehicular traffic was 16 per cent lower in 2006 than pre-charge levels in 2002, media reports pegged rush-hour traffic speeds and delays virtually back to their original levels by 2007.

Germany has been charging tolls on heavy trucks using the Autobahn since 2005. Trucks are required to have an on-board GPS unit that tracks the vehicle's road use, generating a bill that goes directly to the trucking firm.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

> Increasingly, new road-toll laws are winning support, particularly in Europe


Yeah, by those recieving the money, not by those who pay it.



> with fuel taxes having only one-third the purchasing power they did 40 years ago.


If they really would spend the entire budget brought in by motorists they could construct all guardrails out of gold. The line should read "the part of fuel taxes used for infrastructure having only one-third the purchasing power they did 40 years ago."


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*MA Pike issues 75 percent more toll transponders *
7 April 2009

BOSTON (AP) - Giving away Fast Lane transponders has proven to be a boon to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which used to charge nearly $30 for them.

Figures released Tuesday showed the authority issued 19,400 of them since Feb. 15. That's 75 percent more than were issued between mid-February and early April of 2008.

The devices deduct toll payments electronically rather than at a booth, and the authority believes making it easier to obtain them will hasten its ability to get rid of costly tolltakers.

That's not to say drivers get a free ride. In exchange for eliminating the $29.95 transponder upfront cost, the Pike instituted a 50-cent monthly usage fee.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*W.Va. turnpike authority poised to increase tolls *
13 April 2009

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Drivers on the West Virginia Turnpike can expect to pay higher tolls starting this summer after a Monday decision by the toll authority, though how much more won't be known until June.

The West Virginia Parkways Economic Development and Tourism Authority agreed Monday to schedule a series of public hearings preceding a June vote on the amount of the increase.

The favored option recommended by engineers WilburSmith Associates would raise tolls from $1.25 to $2 per barrier for cars and from $4.25 to $6.75 for five-axle trucks.

Motorists with E-ZPasses would pay $1.50 per barrier for a car and $5.06 for a truck.

Tolls have not increased on the 88-mile turnpike in 28 years.

The authority is facing declining revenues, increased maintenance costs and is in jeopardy of defaulting on its bonds.

It tried in 2006 to raise tolls from $1.25 to $2 per barrier for cars and from $4.25 to $7 for five-axle trucks, but a court ordered the rates rolled back after businesses alleged the authority gave the public insufficient notice of its action.

WilburSmith Associates developed 10 revenue scenarios over the next 10 years, manager Greg Barr said. Its recommendation offers the lowest increase plus the biggest discount for E-ZPass users.

While acknowledging that toll increases are unpopular, especially in the southern counties the turnpike runs through, authority members said they have no choice.

"This is an issue that has not been addressed since 1981 and we are paying a price for it," said authority member Bill Seaver.

"This isn't something we do with great fanfare," said authority member Cameron Lewis. "It's something that has to be done."

When asked about the potential toll hike, Gov. Joe Manchin told reporters Monday that "I'm OK with taking a responsible approach," and touted the discount available to state residents and regular Turnpike travelers.

"I think there's going to be basically a positive move to keep it from going defunct and into default," the governor said. "If we're ever going to take the tolls off in 2019, we've got to be able to maintain and keep, basically, the covenants of the bond."

------

Associated Press Writer Lawrence Messina contributed to this report from the statehouse.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

It seems like a lot but;



> Tolls have not increased on the 88-mile turnpike in 28 years.


I believe that happens a lot in the U.S. No seasonal inflation corrections, but one big correction every dozen years.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*407-ETR highway is back in the black *
17 April 2009
The Toronto Star

407 International Inc., the operator of the Greater Toronto Area toll highway, has reported a net profit of $8 million for the quarter ended March 31.

The profit, reported late yesterday, reverses an $11.9 million loss for the same period last year.

Revenue fell marginally to $119.7 million from $120 million, while total trips on the 108-kilometre toll highway fell slightly year over year, likely because of the impact of the recession on truck traffic.

The company owns and operates the 407 ETR highway through Halton, Peel, York and Durham.

The consortium is owned by Spanish construction firm Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, Australia's Macquarie Infrastructure Group and Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin Inc., Canada's largest engineering and construction company.

Madrid-based Cintra is the highway-operating unit of Spanish builder Grupo Ferrovial SA.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Transportation advisory board says more study needed on whether to recommend reviving tolls*
21 May 2009

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Drivers won't see tolls revived on Connecticut highways anytime soon, but officials say the issue is far from dead.

Members of the state Transportation Strategy Board on Thursday decided to postpone making a recommendation to the General Assembly, saying too many questions remain unanswered about the complicated topic and they need more time to study the options. They did not set a timeframe.

Tolls were removed from Connecticut highways and bridges in the 1980s, and the old toll booths, including those along Interstate 95, were demolished.

In recent years, though, some government officials have said electronic tolls -- collected without the need to stop at booths -- could ease congestion and potentially raise billions of dollars for the cash-strapped state.

But the idea is unpopular with many drivers. Gov. M. Jodi Rell also opposes it. Connecticut drivers already pay annual property taxes on their vehicles, and gas taxes of 25 cents per gallon on regular fuel and 43.4 cents on diesel.

Strategy board members say their recent public hearings made one thing very clear: Many drivers think the toll income will disappear into a black hole of state spending, and don't trust that it would finance highway work, commuter rail service or other promised benefits.

"Really the view seems to be, 'This is just another way to extract money from me,'" said Fred Wilms, a strategy board member from Norwalk.

Dozens of states already charge drivers to use highways, bridges, ferries or tunnels, including all of Connecticut's border states and most along the nation's Northeast corridor.

New York and Massachusetts have collected billions over the years from their lengthy turnpikes. And in Rhode Island -- which has a toll bridge over its Narragansett Bay connecting to Newport and Jamestown -- some officials have suggested adding tolls elsewhere to help that state deal with a budget crisis.


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## Snowguy716 (Apr 10, 2009)

I don't like the idea of toll roads simply because I think the cost of roads should be evenly distributed across the population. Whether you live in a tiny town or a big city, those big highways and bridges do benefit you. The food you buy in the grocery store probably crossed that bridge or traveled that toll road.

I am warming to the idea of HOT lanes if they are used sparingly in only the busiest places... that way if you really are in a hurry you can pay a small price and drive more safely to get to your destination in a timely manner.

At the same time, though we have no toll roads here in Minnesota, we're the shining example of what happens when you don't adequately fund your roads. Congestion in the Twin Cities has grown faster than any city America outside of Atlanta in the past 20 years and the roads are falling apart, literally. Governors Arne Carlson and Jesse Ventura largely ignored our roads, focusing on other areas while Tim Pawlenty has been a very mixed bag: He has spent a lot of money on expanding roads, yet he appointed a lady whose main goal seemed to be to dismantle the highway system in the state and starve it of funding wherever she deemed fit.

I think a high quality, efficient means of getting you around and getting products to the market is essential in a healthy free-market economy. That means high investment by the taxpayers in roads and transit. Complaining about high taxes and starving infrastructure of maintenance and expansion is both short sighted and a knee jerk reaction and does more harm than good in the long run.

Sorry to politicize this, but it seems infrastructure funding has become a very politicized issue in recent years.


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## zivan56 (Apr 29, 2005)

I don't see anything wrong with the toll system in Serbia. Serbian citizens pay taxes and other fees for the upkeep of roads and infrastructure that non citizens do not. Therefore, they shouldn't be paying for this twice.
Something very similar is going to be used here. You can buy a transponder to cross a new bridge if you are a resident of the province. If you are not, or choose not to buy it, you will pay almost double to use it.
Essentially, its the "same shit different package" in the end. Except that one is "discriminatory" while the other is not.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

^ Just as foreigners use Serbian motorways, Serbians use foreign motorways, so what's the difference in the end?


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## RonnieR (Jul 13, 2007)

*THE NEW AIRPORT INTERCHANGE IS NOW OPEN...it is linked to Manila Skyway (toll roads)*



ericlucky290 said:


>





absinthe_888 said:


> _President Arroyo, flanked by Pasay City Rep. Antonio Roxas (left) and Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., leads a ceremonial drive through a newly constructed interchange connecting the South Luzon Expressway and the Skyway to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals. Others who accompanied Mrs. Arroyo in the event were Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr., Reps. Roman Romulo of Pasig and Eduardo Zialcita of Parañaque, and NAIA assistant general manager Angel Atutubo._
> 
> *GMA inaugurates airport interchange *
> Updated May 31, 2009 12:00 AM
> ...





absinthe_888 said:


> *from aeroeyeasia.com*


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## nerdly_dood (Mar 23, 2007)

The nearest toll road to me (Southwest Virginia, USA) is way on the other side of the state, about 300 miles away. Since we have no toll roads, the prospect of PAYING MONEY just to use a road seems quite absurd to us, as gasoline is expensive enough at $2.35 a gallon.

However, at that toll both the toll is only $2 for a passenger car or pickup truck, $1 for a motorcycle, or $1 per axle for trucks. I expect that for those who live in areas with many toll roads it's no big deal at all - just a necessary evil, either you pay to drive on a highway, or you pay for more gas as you use secondary roads with stoplights.


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## Ron2K (Dec 28, 2007)

Thread resurrection time. :banana:

Typical South African toll plaza - this one is the Tongaat Toll Plaza, on the N2 around 40km north of Durban.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Russia to build 1,900 km of toll roads by 2015 *

ST. PETERSBURG, June 13 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia will build about 1,900 kilometres of paid and high-speed roads by 2015 at the first stage of the development of a network of roads in the country.

A toll road between Moscow and St. Petersburg will become operational in 2012-2013.

First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov confirmed that most federal highways will be toll roads.

“World experience proves that this way the most effective solution,” he said, adding, “We will have to build new roads and convert the existing highways into toll ones.”

According to the Transport Ministry, about 16,000 kilometres of roads were built and modernised in Russia in 2002-2007, including 2,000 kilometres of federal roads.

Twenty-two thousand federal and 72,000 regional roads were repaired.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mass. Turnpike delays meeting as toll hike looms *
24 June 2009

BOSTON (AP) - With toll hikes looming, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has abruptly postponed a planned meeting.

Transportation Secretary James Aloisi, who chairs the Turnpike board, said Wednesday he wants to give Gov. Deval Patrick time to weigh both a transportation reform bill and a state budget now on his desk.

The budget approved by the Legislature includes a 25 percent sales tax increase that lawmakers say could help avoid the toll hike set to go into effect July 1.

Patrick has threatened to veto the sales tax hike unless lawmakers deliver three reform bills to his desk. The final bill, an ethics reform package, could be approved by lawmakers on Thursday.

Aloisi said it was "prudent" to postpone the Turnpike's Thursday meeting until Monday.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

nerdly_dood said:


> Since we have no toll roads, the prospect of PAYING MONEY just to use a road seems quite absurd to us, as gasoline is expensive enough at $2.35 a gallon.


I don't find it absurd, and I also live in a area with no toll roads. You pay for all the "free" highways through taxes already. The highways with tolls are the ones that don't have taxpayer money (although not always, because of federal funding), so you end up paying money regardless.

Personally, I actually would like tolls to come back here (would love them to put them literally near the state lines) because every time you leave Connecticut, you end up paying tolls almost in all directions, while out of staters drive and ruin our roads for free...


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mass. toll hike to be eliminated as Gov. Patrick signs state budget that boosts sales tax *
29 June 2009

BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is expected to eliminate a planned toll hike hours before Gov. Deval Patrick signs a state budget that includes a 25 percent hike in the state sales tax.

The Turnpike board is expected to meet Monday morning and vote to eliminate the toll hike set to take effect July 1.

Patrick is scheduled to sign the $27.4 billion spending plan Monday afternoon in his Statehouse office.

The budget makes steep cuts to service and slashes aid to cities and towns.

It also includes the biggest broad-based tax increase in two decades -- a measure that would increase the state sales tax from 5 percent to 6.25 percent.

The tax hike will also help the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority close a $160 million budget gap.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mass. Turnpike workers cruise toll free *
2 July 2009

BOSTON (AP) - Hundreds of current and retired Massachusetts Turnpike Authority workers pass through the toll road without paying even as the agency struggles under growing debt.

The Boston Herald reported Thursday that 849 of 1,300 Turnpike employees and 232 retired workers have been given special Fast Lane transponders as a perk.

Board member Mary Connaughton says it's unfair for people to ride toll free as taxpayers brace for a 25 percent sales tax hike to help the agency pay off its debt.

Spokesman Adam Hurtubise says the Turnpike is reviewing the practice as it prepares for integration into a new Massachusetts Department of Transportation on Nov. 1.

Last month, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill to eliminate the Turnpike authority and consolidate nearly all other state transportation functions under the department.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

Xusein said:


> I don't find it absurd, and I also live in a area with no toll roads. You pay for all the "free" highways through taxes already. The highways with tolls are the ones that don't have taxpayer money (although not always, because of federal funding), so you end up paying money regardless.
> 
> Personally, I actually would like tolls to come back here (would love them to put them literally near the state lines) because every time you leave Connecticut, you end up paying tolls almost in all directions, while out of staters drive and ruin our roads for free...


exactly. gas costs so much more in ct because we pay the extra tax for supporting the infrastructures, where other states found these funds from toll.

i agree to have toll back in connecticut as well, since CT is so small and cross state drivers don't even have to stop for gas. it ends up only the CT residents to pay entirely for the infrastructures that everyone uses. unfortunately, the state legislators just recently turned down the proposal to further look into re-tolling the interstates, and even just charging cross-state traffic, but free travelling within the state. the recent study shows if CT only charges cross-state traffic, the gas tax can be significantly reduced. people were still afraid of the old i-95 stratford toll plaza tragedy to happen again.

but technology these days don't even need to have vehicles physically slow down to charge. with electronic toll pricing, drivers can travel at 75 mph through the sensor and still be charged. just look at the jersey turnpike.
on the other hands, people say it would require everyone to have a ezpass.
but the toronto 407 toll road can charge people from taking a picture of the license, and then send the drivers the bill with additional administrative cost.

people complaint too much about the high gas tax, but then they are too reluctant to accept solution. but to be fair, even without any toll on the highway, ConnDOT is doing a fairly good job to keeping them up and the state roads are in better shape than other states.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*W.Va. Turnpike board votes to increase tolls despite protests of residents living along route*
1 July 2009 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Travel on the West Virginia Turnpike will become more expensive next month because the highway's governing board voted Wednesday to increase tolls for passenger cars and large trucks for the first time in decades.

The Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority voted unanimously to raise tolls along the 88-mile highway for passenger vehicles from $1.25 to $2 and for large trucks from $4.25 to $6.75. Tolls have not increased since 1981, turnpike officials said.

The cost of a trip from Princeton to Charleston and back will be $12 for a passenger car starting Aug. 1, instead of the current cost of $7.50.

However, the authority also approved steep discounts for people who buy West Virginia E-Z Pass commuter passes. By paying a $5 annual fee for the E-Z Pass, passenger cars will pay $1.30 per toll, and large trucks will pay $5.40. Trucks with electronic commuter passes from other states will pay $5.87.

The authority's vote came after months of public hearings and even legislative debate. Residents and lawmakers from the counties along the highway say the toll is discriminatory.

Board members said they had no choice but to raise toll prices.

"I don't think there's a member of this board who wants to increase this, but we have a responsibility," authority member Cam Lewis said.

That's because the turnpike is facing about $350 million in deferred maintenance costs and it needs about $20 million in additional revenue each year to begin meeting those costs, said general manager Greg Barr.

Tolls are the only way to generate the money, Barr said.

Gov. Joe Manchin called the new toll plan "a responsible decision that gives the Authority the tools they need to bring the road up to standards without overburdening the most frequent users of the highway."

Opponents of the toll increase are now weighing their options. Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth said he expects residents to keep the pressure on the authority, and Delegate Clif Moore, D-McDowell, has vowed to block the Ghent toll plaza with his car the day the increase goes into effect.

"The battle is not over at this point," Caruth said.

At the meeting, Caruth said the toll puts the counties along the road at a competitive disadvantage with other West Virginia counties.

"We're being treated as second-class citizens," the Mercer County Republican said. "We have been for a long time, but it's adding insult to injury to vote for a toll increase."

The authority was able to offer the discounts to drivers who buy E-Z Passes by changing the way it pays off the remaining bond debt on Tamarack. Essentially, the turnpike will set aside about $6.8 million, which represents the remainder of the debt on the Tamarack bonds.

By doing so, it frees up about $1.4 million a year in money that had gone to pay down the debt and interest. The board voted to apply the $1.4 million to the needed maintenance costs, enabling a more significant discount than originally planned.

Before the rate increases, West Virginia had fairly low tolls compared to other states, "though not the lowest," said Peter Samuel, Maryland-based editor of Toll Roads News, an online trade publication.

"For drivers driving the length of the turnpike and paying cash, the tolls will be about average for U.S. toll roads at 7 cents a mile," he said in an e-mail Wednesday.

Among the cheaper places to take a toll road are Oklahoma, Massachusetts, New York, Maine and New Jersey's Garden State Parkway, at about 4.3 cents per mile. West Virginia, he said, is now in the middle of the pack.

------

Associated Press Writer Vicki Smith contributed to this report.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Highway tolls are usually always more expensive on a per-mile base than gas tax and other taxes. 

I drive 25.000 km per year, in fuel tax + monthly road tax, that comes down to about € 1620 per year or € 0,06 (6 cents) per kilometer. Most highway tolls in Europe are about € 0,10 per km. However, you usually do not have to pay for every highway.

In the Netherlands they want to implement a GPS based road tax, that taxes every single kilometer driven. They say it won't cost the average motorist more than now, but I do not believe that, since they're only gonna abolish the monthly road tax + registration fee, but the fuel tax, which makes up most of my expense, is gonna stay the same. 

By the way, I drive on diesel. The figures are significant higher for those who drive on gasoline. (about € 2400 or € 0,096 (9.6 cents) per km).


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Japan to extend discounts to weekday drivers in Aug *

TOKYO, June 30 (Reuters) - Japan's government will extend highway toll discounts to several weekdays during the country's peak driving season in August in a move that is likely to boost summer gasoline sales in the world's No.3 oil consumer.

In late March, Japan introduced a 50 percent discount on highway tolls for passenger cars and motorcycles equipped with electronic toll collection (ETC) systems on weekends and national holidays, with a ceiling cost of 1,000 yen ($10) irrespective of the distance travelled. 

On Tuesday, Japan's transportation ministry said it would extend the discount to the first two Thursdays and Fridays in August, which includes the nation's "obon" holidays in the middle of the month, when gasoline sales typically peak.

The government also said it plans to cut highway tolls by half for business vehicles such as buses and trucks on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays between Aug. 3 and Aug. 18, which could also increase sales of gas oil or diesel.


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