The Muckraker: Plan to Toll Pennsylvania's I-80 Freeway in Jeopardy

12/13/2007

The Federal Highway Administration questions the adequacy of the Pennsylvania plan to add tolls to Interstate 80, currently a free highway.

Anonymous said...: Thankfully some feds still have sense. While I am a rail advocate, I question the wisdom of funding rail with toll revenue. There's just too much room for cheating and diversion. Rail could pay for itself if it offered enough "carrots" to lure riders. As I've blogged before, rail with pay-per-use electrical outlets to charge laptops. Wireless internet access. A first class car with airplane-style seats with tray tables so one can easily use a laptop while riding to work.
A bicycle-friendly car like BART in San Francisco that has pay-per use electrical outlets to charge electric scooters or bicycles. A car that sells coffee and/or food. A car leased to a merchant such as Dell to demo laptops- I hate shopping but if I have nothing better to do during my 30 minute commute, why not shop? The list goes on. There is so much real estate to be exploited within the train by private interests, I don't see why nobody is doing this right now. Tolls shouldn't be needed, at all, to pay for the train. THIS IS TRULY CREATIVE FINANCING. I've presented this idea many times to city council. No response yet.; 4:51 PM, December 13, 2007

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