DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Transportation said this week it does not intend to pursue tolls for Interstate 80, for a myriad of reasons.
The Iowa Department of Transportation said collecting tolls on the east-west Interstate 80 “was a viable option” according to a study they conducted.
However, “a study is one thing, but when we look at the big picture and all the considerations that includes, the DOT does not intend to pursue tolling at this time,” the agency stated, and listed several reasons why:
• It doesn’t work well in our open, farm-to-market grid system and pushes traffic to roads that are not built for interstate traffic.
• It’s not authorized by state or federal law.
• It’s not consistent with our “pay as you go” approach to road and bridge funding.
• It’s not an option supported by industry groups or the public.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and other Republican lawmakers also were dismissive of the idea of tolls on the major roadway.
The costs of collecting the tolls may very well exceed the amount collected too. Lots of equipment, maintenance, enforcement and personnel costs.
why not let the people who use them pay for them??