Toll roads
Hello, we are first time RV'ers doing a long distance trip to the coast of Maine from Wisconsin. We have been out locally in our 38ft. class A RV but never cross country. Our question concerns the Tol...
Forum Discussion
paulj wrote:
Bridges require maintenance.
Are there documented cases where bridge or road tolls in excess of operating costs are diverted to general revenue? Especially cases where that is contrary to the toll entities charter?
As do roads, overpasses, viaducts, etc. etc. etc. Supposedly, such things are paid for by gas taxes.
The situation you describe has been in place for decades in California--with the various SF Bay bridges. In the 70s, money from excessive Golden Gate Bridge tolls (excessive, as in far more than were needed to cover operating costs) was used to create the Golden Gate Transit district, which was basically a bunch of buses to transport commuters from Marin to the City. Then, since they charged fares for those buses that covered operating costs, the next big project--also paid for with Golden Gate Bridge tolls--was to build a fleet of luxury ferryboats and a terminal in Larkspur to dock them.
The current toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge is $6/7 and all profits go to the District to fund various projects. The District is currently averaging a surplus of 45 million dollars over the last ten years. That surplus would be even greater if the funds were only allocated for bridge maintenance--only 28% of tolls are spent for that purpose.
Despite that, the toll on the Golden Gate Bridge will go up to $8 in April. San Francisco is the only city in the country besides New York that charges admission.
