The
current type of toll roads around Austin seem to be their own road
entirely, such as Texas 45. These tolls are avoidable, but they do
make getting to your destination quicker. The problem with these
type of toll roads is the lack of advertisement. If drivers already
plan on avoiding toll roads, their routes deny them first-hand
exposure of how enticing it would be to pay the toll. Mr. Ramirez
points out another method Texas plans to implement for utilizing toll
roads in
Tolls
won't stop the Traffic, So quit wasting Money!.
The $200 million plan adds two toll lanes to MOPAC for 11 miles.
With this method, it increases the advertisement for these toll
lanes. Drivers will be sitting in traffic next to the bare toll
lanes, seeing only toll-paying motorists and buses flying by them.
This splits the driving population into three categories: those that
can afford tolls, those that can't afford tolls, and those that will
opt for taking the bus. If these new lanes were toll only or bus
only, I would definitely be against this plan. The idea behind toll
roads screams financial discrimination. It would be no different
than placing tolls on elevators or escalators, with those that can't
afford the toll taking the stairs. If it were bus-only lanes, it
would be commuter discrimination. Those traveling far distances
every day to-and-from their destinations would either have to sit in
traffic or leave their car somewhere close to a bus stop. I'm not
sure of the feasibility or practicality of the latter. The idea that
paying motorists and buses will use these lanes makes the plan much
more palatable.
Currently,
Texas uses two methods to collect tolls. The first is an electronic
transponder called the TxTag, which automatically makes a transaction
whenever the vehicle passes through the toll. This works the same
for TollTag and EZ TAG. The other method is a camera spots the
vehicle license plate, and a bill is sent to the owner of the
vehicle. There may still be toll booth operators somewhere in Texas,
but the camera system and Tag system are phasing them out. Mr.
Ramirez does make a good point about toll fee collection. What about
those that don't pay the tolls? There is $27 million in unpaid tolls
that motorists in Texas have accrued. This sounds more like an
enforcement issue rather than an actual issue with the toll roads.
If Texas doesn't crack down on collection, I foresee barriers at toll
points where appropriate, and harsher penalties for negligence to
pay. Currently, the largest penalty is $60 in addition to the
original toll amount.
Toll
roads may seem unfair, but they provide choice. Pay more to get to
your destination quicker, or wait it out in traffic. Sure all the
roads could be free, but eventually everyone would be stuck in
traffic with less revenue for Texas to pay for more roads.
Increasing taxes on gas would impact everyone, many of which may have
little alternatives for how they get around, rich or poor. It
discriminates against those that live further away from the city,
which is also typically more affordable housing. Motorists may be
trying to make use of personal and public transportation to meet
their destination needs to already cut down on their monthly gas
expenses. Higher gas prices reduce the number of luxury trips
motorists make, such as going to the mall. This doesn't stop
motorists from driving to work or to school, which are most likely
the reasons why they are driving. A higher gas price means more
expenses to most people, not a reduction in traffic. A gas tax is
mandatory for motorists, toll lanes are not. Mr. Ramirez did
spitball the idea of more public transportation. Well the buses that
will be using the new toll lanes on MOPAC is public transportation.
So this $200 million plan is expanding public transportation. There
will be some people that see this, and opt for the bus instead of
sitting in traffic. The plan is a hybrid measure to try and
alleviate some traffic, earn some revenue, expand public
transportation, and to see how the public reacts to it. If the
public chooses to use more public transportation, then that's what
Texas will build. This is a much better method than building only
public transportation, and trying to force the population into using
it.
Want
to read about a state really wasting money? Read up on California's
$68 billion (with a 'B') “high” speed rail project that begins by
connecting nowhere to nowhere. Story from SFGate
and from the L.A.
Times.
