A couple of weeks ago in this space, the question was asked: Would you pay a toll for a third lane on Interstate 40 between North Little Rock and Memphis?
The issue arose because of the major I-40 traffic tieup in March during the last big weather event of the cursed winter now passed, after which a reader who travels I-40 frequently posed the question.
Now we give voice to the voiceless. Namely, readers and drivers who brave the big-rig canyon of this roughly 140-mile stretch of interstate.
This “poll” is as unscientific as possible, with a margin of error of plus or minus 100 percent.
Plus the fudge factor. Right - just the way we like it. Call it a production of the Drivetime Mahatma Institute of Highway Research and Blarney.
Let’s note that the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has a study in progress should the federal government allow a toll road to be built. Chances of that allowance are wildly speculative. Who can peer into the mind of the federal government?
Some of what readers said:
“Yes, I would pay the toll. Or better yet make the truckers pay the toll and they could only use the third/toll lane.”
“Would pay in a minute if the third lane was for trucks only and they had to stay in that lane. Imagine the difference it would make in traffic flow and safety.”
“I think it would be better to have a third lane in which the truckers could be allowed in the right two lanes, such as in Interstate 30 between Little Rock and Benton. Would I be willing to pay extra taxes? Yes!!!”
“How much have we already spent on interstate construction in the last 20 years? Billions. Will the Highway Department’s fuel taxes that fund highways ever go down? Never.”
“Swami, for 18 years I drove about 50,000 miles a year on Arkansas roads.
Last year I retired and have only driven 40,000 miles since. For a long time we’ve needed a way to get some traffic off our interstates.
A toll road, or a toll lane in I-40 and Interstate 30 would be wonderful.”
“My vote is YES! When can we start?”
“I would not object to I-40 being turned into a toll road in order to add a third lane. I hope they would use high-speed cameras that take a picture of your license plate and send you a bill. That is a much better system than having to stop at a toll booth to pay somebody money.”
“Yes, we would be willing to pay a toll to ride on an unobstructed road between here and Memphis. That is a dream!”
But are tolls really feasible? A recent study of the (unlikely to ever be built) North Belt Freeway through North Pulaski County as a toll road indicated this: Nope. A toll high enough to pay off the bonds issued to build the thing would have resulted in drivers taking alternate routes.
Study conclusion: If a third I-40 lane ever gets built, many of us will be driving on that Great Freeway in the Sky.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 04/12/2014