Indiana toll talk to meet road block?

January 18, 2018

Keith Goble

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Toll roads continue to be a topic of conversation at the Indiana statehouse.

Two state lawmakers want to quell any possibility that tolls could be collected on Indianapolis-area interstates.

The effort from Republican Senators Mike Delph of Carmel and Michael Young of Indianapolis come one year after state lawmakers approved a transportation bill to raise more than $1 billion annually for road and bridge work, largely through higher vehicle taxes and fees.

The 2017 law also required the Indiana Department of Transportation to study tolling and submit a waiver to the Federal Highway Administration to allow tolling on existing interstates.

INDOT has focused its attention on Interstates 65 and 70. However, the agency has not ruled out possible collection of tolls to access I-465.

Despite assurances from Gov. Eric Holcomb that I-465 would not be pursued as a toll option, Delph and Young have introduced SB69 to prohibit toll collection on any interstate highway within 15 miles of the center of Indianapolis.

Delph tweeted in October his displeasure over the toll talk.

The legislation forwarded to the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee would affect I-465, and portions of Interstates 70, 74 and 69.

report prepared for INDOT and released in October was billed as necessary “to explore options for mitigating anticipated decreases in fuel tax revenue.” The report generated by HDR Inc. showed toll collection could raise between $39 billion and $53 billion over a 30-year time period from 2021 to 2050.

“A potential statewide tolling program could help Indiana prepare for the expected decrease in fuel consumption by tying transportation funding to the amount of travel on Indiana’s highways,” the report states. “Tolling the interstate system would also enable Indiana to capture revenue from the thousands of vehicles that pass through the state every day.”

The HDR study used a 4-cent-per-mile toll for motorists (6 cents on I-64) and a 19-cent rate for heavy trucks (63 cents on I-64). Drivers without a transponder could pay a $2 surcharge.

The report does identify the “biggest risk” associated with toll revenue calculations: Truck drivers.

“Heavy trucks are responsible for a significant portion of toll revenues. They are also most likely to seek alternate free routes.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says tolling infrastructure that was constructed and maintained by tax dollars is fundamentally wrong.

Carbon monoxide testing
Delph is the sponsor of a separate bill of note. SB100 would allow fire departments, including volunteer fire departments, to provide vehicular carbon monoxide testing to vehicle owners at their request.

Lake and Porter counties already require emissions testing.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a total of 2,244 deaths resulting from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning from 2010 to 2015.

The Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee voted on Tuesday, Jan. 16, to unanimously approve the bill. SB100 now heads to the Senate floor. If approved there, it would move to the House.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Indiana, click here.