"Toll roads manipulate congestion for profit."
Letters to the Editor
Focus: Toll Roads
02/15/2006
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
They aren't the answer
Toll roads — lanes with a 24/7 user fee in addition to the gas tax — are not the answer to the issues cited by Joe Krier in his comment "Toll roads pave way to a better future" (Thursday). The efficient approach is tolls levied only on congested road segments during high-traffic periods.
The key economic principle is that wise use results from pricing that reflects what something costs. People who drive during high-traffic periods do not pay the cost of slowing other people. So a toll should exist for only a few road segments and only during high-traffic periods. Such tolls reduce high-traffic-period road use and pay for additional highway capacity.
Gasoline taxes should pay for capacity to handle off-peak traffic.
The alternatives are very costly. We'd have to choose between frequent, huge congestion delays and related costs cited by Krier — paying a gasoline tax to drive on roads fully financed by 24/7 toll or sitting in congested "free lanes" (e.g. Houston) — or suffering a massive tax increase to pay for enough road capacity to avoid rush hour congestion.
Studies have shown peak-period, congestion tolling reduces construction spending and disruption and yields enormous benefits in the form of reduced travel times, auto maintenance, accidents and pollution.
John Merrifield
Won't ease congestion
Joe Krier attempts to make the case for tolling freeways we've already paid for. Here are some points that seem lost on toll proponents.
We have a built-in system to address growth: more residents mean more taxpayers. We already have a user tax for roads — the gas tax. The more you use, the more you pay.
It's absurd to assert toll lanes on U.S. 281 will relieve congestion. Toll roads manipulate congestion for profit. Improvements to U.S. 281 have been in the works for six years, are paid for and should be completed by now, so it's patently false to assert that adding express toll lanes to U.S. 281 will speed up congestion relief.
In fact, the toll project has delayed congestion relief in favor of taking private land through eminent domain to hand it over to foreign toll operators for private gain. These public-private partnerships are being kept secret and will last up to 50 years with no cap on toll rates and no oversight by any elected official.
The only non-toll lanes will be downgraded to slower frontage lanes with stoplights. There would be no non-toll expressway option. Therefore, rather than install the no-toll original funded plan on U.S. 281 that would make traffic flow smoothly for all motorists, Krier and our politicians would rather force us to pay a toll for a freeway that's already paid for without a vote of the people.
Terri Hall, founder/director,
San Antonio Toll Party
Gas tax idea unrealistic
I am concerned with Carlos Guerra's columns of Jan. 29 and Jan. 31 ("Have we considered alternatives to ambitious toll-road plans?" and "Readers say toll road dispute points to troubles down the line").
Guerra implies there is an easier answer to reduce traffic congestion on area highways. I understand that paying for new highway lanes with tolls is a new idea to San Antonio; however, his suggestion of encouraging less driving by raising gas taxes is not realistic.
I have not heard an outcry from citizens for an increased mandatory fuel tax every time they fill up their gas tanks. Nor have I heard from local elected officials their willingness to file legislation that would increase our gas tax.
I am fully aware that reducing traffic congestion will not be easy. Our plan is to use new financial options to accelerate needed improvements, empower local leaders to solve regional problems, drive down cost through increased competition and demand consumer-driven decisions.
Hope Andrade,
Texas Transportation Commission,
Austin
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News: www.mysanantonio.com/
Focus: Toll Roads
02/15/2006
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
They aren't the answer
Toll roads — lanes with a 24/7 user fee in addition to the gas tax — are not the answer to the issues cited by Joe Krier in his comment "Toll roads pave way to a better future" (Thursday). The efficient approach is tolls levied only on congested road segments during high-traffic periods.
The key economic principle is that wise use results from pricing that reflects what something costs. People who drive during high-traffic periods do not pay the cost of slowing other people. So a toll should exist for only a few road segments and only during high-traffic periods. Such tolls reduce high-traffic-period road use and pay for additional highway capacity.
Gasoline taxes should pay for capacity to handle off-peak traffic.
The alternatives are very costly. We'd have to choose between frequent, huge congestion delays and related costs cited by Krier — paying a gasoline tax to drive on roads fully financed by 24/7 toll or sitting in congested "free lanes" (e.g. Houston) — or suffering a massive tax increase to pay for enough road capacity to avoid rush hour congestion.
Studies have shown peak-period, congestion tolling reduces construction spending and disruption and yields enormous benefits in the form of reduced travel times, auto maintenance, accidents and pollution.
John Merrifield
Won't ease congestion
Joe Krier attempts to make the case for tolling freeways we've already paid for. Here are some points that seem lost on toll proponents.
We have a built-in system to address growth: more residents mean more taxpayers. We already have a user tax for roads — the gas tax. The more you use, the more you pay.
It's absurd to assert toll lanes on U.S. 281 will relieve congestion. Toll roads manipulate congestion for profit. Improvements to U.S. 281 have been in the works for six years, are paid for and should be completed by now, so it's patently false to assert that adding express toll lanes to U.S. 281 will speed up congestion relief.
In fact, the toll project has delayed congestion relief in favor of taking private land through eminent domain to hand it over to foreign toll operators for private gain. These public-private partnerships are being kept secret and will last up to 50 years with no cap on toll rates and no oversight by any elected official.
The only non-toll lanes will be downgraded to slower frontage lanes with stoplights. There would be no non-toll expressway option. Therefore, rather than install the no-toll original funded plan on U.S. 281 that would make traffic flow smoothly for all motorists, Krier and our politicians would rather force us to pay a toll for a freeway that's already paid for without a vote of the people.
Terri Hall, founder/director,
San Antonio Toll Party
Gas tax idea unrealistic
I am concerned with Carlos Guerra's columns of Jan. 29 and Jan. 31 ("Have we considered alternatives to ambitious toll-road plans?" and "Readers say toll road dispute points to troubles down the line").
Guerra implies there is an easier answer to reduce traffic congestion on area highways. I understand that paying for new highway lanes with tolls is a new idea to San Antonio; however, his suggestion of encouraging less driving by raising gas taxes is not realistic.
I have not heard an outcry from citizens for an increased mandatory fuel tax every time they fill up their gas tanks. Nor have I heard from local elected officials their willingness to file legislation that would increase our gas tax.
I am fully aware that reducing traffic congestion will not be easy. Our plan is to use new financial options to accelerate needed improvements, empower local leaders to solve regional problems, drive down cost through increased competition and demand consumer-driven decisions.
Hope Andrade,
Texas Transportation Commission,
Austin
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, February 15, 2006
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