Comments about ‘A toll on I-15 near Virgin River Gorge?’

I don't blame Arizona. That's a very expensive road to maintain. It cost $100 an inch to build back in the seventies. Hope Arizona doesn't give it to Utah. It will take a good chunk of our highway funds each year to maintain it.

The portion of I-15 that briefly clips a corner of Arizona provides virtually zero benefit to Arizona, yet due to its nature is very expensive for Arizona to maintain.

Since the sole purpose of the road is to connect Utah and points north and east with Las Vegas and Southern California, it is not surprising for Arizona to ask that the primary users of the road be the people primarily responsible for its upkeep.

I hate the thought of a toll, but I don't blame Arizona at all for their position.

The question, which I do not know, is how are the Federal highways paid for, as well as how are they maintained? If the Federal Government budgets for all building and maintenance of the Highways, then a toll would seem to be completely illegal. On the other hand, if the Federal Government paid for the construction, but the State was responsible for maintenance, then I can see where tolls come into play - Arizona has no benefit for that road. Maybe transfer ownership to Utah and Nevada.

I do wonder how Illinois, Kansas, and other States have gotten away with tolls on Highways. It must be this maintenance aspect, because otherwise we should be yelling.

Utah may want to consider another small loan to Arizona to help make repairs. Tolling, however, does not seem to be the prudent solution at this time.

That way, all the taxpayers of Utah would be paying for the repairs instead of just those businesses and people who use that part of the highway.

If ever there was a place where a toll road was justified the I-15 in Arizona would be it. It is sort of like the big bridges where people pay tolls to get across large rivers and other bodies of water.

The point is, the shortcut saves money for people and business and it seems perfectly logical to me that they should apply those savings to the highway. The taxpayer in Utah who seldom or never goes that way should not have to pay for the people who do.

I think we may see a lot more of this kind of thing as the states get more powerful and the national government gets weaker.

If Utah contributes its own Federal funds to Arizona to maintain the road, and if Arizona takes part of that money to pay for other projects within Arizona, then Arizona does not have the right to impose tolls on the road and exempt its own residents from having to pay it (which other stories have mentioned). While there is nothing wrong with having people who use a service to be the ones who pay for it, there is no reason for these people to pay for services that are not related and of no benefit to them.

So long as conservatives don't want Society to collectively pay for intfrastucture, Tolls would be the best choice.

I know in European countries, Tolls are used all over the place -- considered a "Users Fee".

Like the Golden Gate Bridge, or Ferries --
If you use it - you pay for it.

If you don't want a toll -- then learn to accept you'll need to redistribute the wealth and the burden to pay for it.

Utah should loan AZ the money AND collect the toll to repay the loan.
Perhaps Mesquite can convince NV to help a little, as well.

Re: "The portion of I-15 . . . provides virtually zero benefit to Arizona, yet due to its nature is very expensive for Arizona to maintain."

Kinda like it's expensive for Utah to maintain US 89A between Fredonia, AZ and Kanab. Or Old US 91 from East Mequite, AZ and Littlefield, AZ to St. George. Or how it's expensive for Nevada to maintain US 93, from Vegas to Kingman. Or California to maintain I-40 from Barstow to Kingman.

Maybe like Utah, Nevada, and California should start assessing tolls on Arizona-plated vehicles traveling those roads.

Maybe then, desperate Arizona liberals might be convinced that we're all in this together, and that everyone benefits from freedom to travel in the West.

Tolls are generally a bad idea. Roads benefit all of society, not just the "users". A broader based tax is more appropriate. I state this as a general principle.

The whole problem is that Arizona has used the road (fuel) taxes for other things instead of those funds being used to maintain their roads. Those taxes were originally to be used for roads only--but politicians soon figured out that road funds were a potful of money that could be diverted to other things.

It is not right that we pay ROAD (fuel) taxes and then are expected to pay tolls on top of that!! One or the other!

"Kinda like it's expensive for Utah to maintain US 89A between Fredonia, AZ and Kanab. Or Old US 91 from East Mequite, AZ and Littlefield, AZ to St. George. Or how it's expensive for Nevada to maintain US 93, from Vegas to Kingman. Or California to maintain I-40 from Barstow to Kingman."

Not at all. Kanab to Fredonia is 7 miles of mostly flat highway. The other examples given are not similar, either. The stretch of I-15 through Virgin River Gorge benefits I-15 traffic between St. George and Mesquite, as well as Las Vegas, the Inland Empire/Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and all points in between. It is a shortcut through a corner of Arizona that doesn't directly benefit Arizona.

Those who travel that highway are the only people who benefit from it and should pay for the maintenance.

How appropriate to have a semi in the picture! We have to pay a large amount to use that one little piece of road. It is the main artery into California from most of the north east. The cost of maintaining would not EVER be above what comes in on the road taxes if they used the road taxes for what they are intended for, repairs and maintaining. Arizonia uses their road taxes like everyother state for everything but roads. Then they talk about raising the taxes or placing tolls, make them accountable for what we pay in!!!!

Didn't I already help pay for maintaining interstate highways with the federal gasoline tax?

@John H
Exactly. AZ is given funds by the federal government to maintain their roads. In theory it is to avoid fights like this. Utahn's already paid in and the money was blown by AZ and now they want us to pay for it.

Toll on a publicly owned and maintained road is nothing short of highway robbery!

An average automobile creates almost zero wear on a freeway. Freeways are worn out or damaged only by trucks. If you're going to charge any fee on top of already high state and federal fuel taxes, it should logically be on trucks. Then prepare for inflation, because almost everything is transported by truck.

Anyone who drives or has driven on that stretch between SG and the mouth of the Gorge knows that parts of the road are slowly "disintegrating".

Arizona has spent maintenance money on other pressing needs?

Users should pay?

States vs Feds?

Sell that section of I-15 to our "friends" in China, and let them "collect" the tolls? ( see Gov. Mitch Daniels R-Indiana)

So many needs, so little money?

or

So many "bogus" needs, so much money spent on "bogus" pet projects?

The last two questions are of great interest to many tax payers.

Roscoe | 9:27 a.m. Oct. 31, 2011
West Jordan, UT
Those who travel that highway are the only people who benefit from it and should pay for the maintenance.
________

So, no one benefits from the trucking that uses that portion of I15? No goods are brought to Utah from LA on that road? Salt Lake, Ogden, Logan really wouldn't feel any effects at all if that portion of the road were shut down? Goods from SoCal wouldn't cost any more if they had to travel a longer route to their final destination? St. George certainly benefits economically from visitors from Southern California and Las Vegas that visit their city. I see numerous CR England trucks using that road (headquartered in SLC, btw).

Far more people than simply those that 'travel that highway' benefit from it.

Why not just turn that land over to Utah? Have it become part of the State of Utah? Or did I just ask a stupid question? I know the overwhelming majority will probably answer yes but had to put it out there.

Re: "I know in European countries, Tolls are used all over the place -- considered a 'Users Fee'."

Hmmmmm.

I've driven all over Europe and never paid a toll for anything other than a ferry, bridge, or tunnel.

Maybe you were driving in a different Europe. The Europe I drove in patterned its FREE-way system after ours.

One thing I would be concerned about is that if Arizona is allowed to assess a toll, that would open the door for any/all states to add tolls to the interstates going thru their state. A national system of toll roads, anyone?