What’s the big deal about toll roads anyway?
I’ve been talking with Dig ad veritas about the Trans-Texas Corridor and she has pointed out that other states, such as New York, have an extensive network of toll roads across the state and it’s not considered a big deal. So what’s different about Texas?
Thinking about it, toll roads aren’t necessarily bad in of themselves. I think the problem in Texas is the approach. Because toll roads are being built by private entities expecting to make a profit, it pits toll roads against the existing public transportation system. This isn’t simply about financing road construction but rather is about companies making money.
I do believe that companies that provide a service for the government, have the right to make a reasonable profit. However, it should not be at the expense of degrading other existing public services and that is how the Trans-Texas Corridor is setup. People have to be so miserable driving I-35 that they become willing to pay to drive the toll road. And preventing improvements to I-35 will only speed up that process.
Of course, the point was to privatize so that the profit motive will speed up the construction process. But I think there is something wrong when you allow the company to limit competing public services to protect it’s profit.
Filed under: Toll Roads, Trans-Texas Corridor, texas, texas politics
