Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:45:17 +0900
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: tolls (was RE: I-90 Freeway help)
In-Reply-To: <20060626181715.21031.qmail@web50110.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Actually, I heard something interesting on tolls on the interstates on NPR.
Apparently the interstates are all free - that's the terms under which the
system was created when they started it 50 years ago. (NPR is big into the
anniversary - hence the info.)
BUT - in some parts of the country, particularly the east I think,
already-existing highways were incorporated into the interstate system. If
they had tolls in place then, they were grandfathered in, and were allowed
to continue charging tolls. That explains the tolls on I-90 in
Massachusetts and NY, but not in other states.
Of course it doesn't explain all kinds of other tolls, on bridges, tunnels,
and other roads. Actually tolls are a reasonably fair way to pay for roads
- those who use them pay for them. As opposed to using general revenue or
something, in which case people who don't use them still have to pay.
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://www.joyhecht.net
****************************************************************
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Steven Johnson
:::Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 3:17 AM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: I-90 Freeway help
:::
:::Yeah, that's because they're hitting you with
:::taxes at the gas pumps instead. Every state has
:::it's way of getting into your wallet.
:::
:::BTW, While Zoltan is speeding across the continent
:::up on I-90, I'll cruising across the other direction
:::starting on Friday evening. I'll be coming up from
:::Raleigh-Durham along I-40 until I get to Nashville.
:::Then head north up to St. Louis to go along I-70.
:::Then drive up from Kansas City to Lincoln, NE where
:::I get to zoom along I-80 all the way to Sacramento.
:::I've got my book tapes ready to roll! :)
:::
:::--- Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
:::
:::> RE: Cruise control My Foot(A$$?)!!
:::> My comment on "Put it on cruise control" was
:::> rhetorical, I guess I haven't
:::> figured out how to indicate 'tongue in cheek' in an
:::> email. I'm sure I-90
:::> has the same problems that I-5 encounters in
:::> Seattle, Portland, Sacramento,
:::> LA, etc. But no tolls anywhere on I-5. Out west
:::> tolls are almost unheard
:::> of except across major bridges and some limited
:::> areas around LA. Those of
:::> us from the Left Coast are always surprised by the
:::> number of toll roads we
:::> encounter in other parts of the country.
:::>
:::
:::
:::__________________________________________________
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