Panel gives green light to toll-road plan

A bill that could put toll roads on the fast-track for construction in Utah passed unanimously out of committee Thursday, but the approval wasn't without questions about risk to taxpayers and the state.

SB80, sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, would let the Utah Department of Transportation contract with private companies to build toll roads. Ideally, the legislation would allow the state to take in billions of dollars from groups willing to pay to build, maintain and collect tolls on a road.

But that's part of the rub for opponents who testified Thursday. The state makes money, investors make money and taxpayers fund it, said Dave Creer, executive director of the Utah Truckers Association.

"I question a little bit, really, the test of public-private partnerships, and the doubt I raise today is the lure of money," said Creer. "It's all about one thing with the private sector: return on investment . . . and I contend here today that the risk is on the state of Utah and its people."

While at least 17 states have authorized public-private partnerships for road building, only a handful have entered into working agreements. Most have been done in the past few years, with foreign firms bankrolling the projects.

Killpack said his bill is simply a "tool" to help with a $16.5 billion deficit for transportation projects over the next 25 years. It doesn't mean toll roads will be built, but it's a way to pay for roads that would otherwise have no funding, he said.

"Whether this passes, we still have to go through a process to see if tolling is appropriate," said Killpack.

"His bill does nothing more than allow us to bring the private sector in and have them help us pay," said UDOT executive director John Njord. "This is not about tolling. We can do that now."

UDOT is currently studying whether to toll the Mountain View Corridor, a freeway proposed for western Salt Lake and Utah counties. If tolling is deemed feasible in the study, and Killpack's legislation is passed, Mountain View could become the first state-owned road to be tolled under a public-private partnership in Utah.

Many west-side residents are not pleased with the idea.

"We need to have the tool at our discretion," said Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley, "but oh boy, pick the Mountain View Corridor and there's going to be a fight."

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