Toll Roads - How not to do it

Rendell signs bill that will commit millions to highways, transit

So our wonderful state is once again doing things the wrong way. Not only are we borrowing against "future" revenue that does not exist and may never exist since it is dependent on Federal approval, we are now tolling the road in excess of its value to create revenue for completely unrelated areas.

The ideal way to make the interstates as efficient as possible using market forces is to sell them off for long-term leases to private, independent companies. Regulate it so that one company does not own more than one roadway per state to avoid monopolistic policies. Let them toll the roads without any other strings attached.

This will accomplish the following:

• It will ensure that the use and maintenance of each road is only paid for by those who use it.
  
• It will permanently remove the care and maintenance from the state and federal budgets.
  
• It will reduce corruption and lax behavior from those that currently work with and through the government in the care and maintenance of these roads.
  
• The tolls will undoubtedly be lower than what the state would require if they ran it since the money will only go for the care and maintenance of the road.
  
• Inefficient behavior on the part of the road company will be instantly punished by the consumers as opposed to the current system where no one is answerable.