Arizona Toll Roads

A bill signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer could set the stage for construction of toll highways. The bill signed Monday sets ground rules for the AZ Department of Transportation to enter into "public-private partnerships" for construction, financing, operation and maintenance of transportation projects. The bill also authorizes the department to issue bonds for the projects.

Toll roads in Arizona would be better owned and managed by competitive business under toll franchises, rather then by government (Medicare, Social Security, AZ AHCCCS)

Privatization could be a win-win proposition, relieving taxpayers of state debt while allowing entrepreneurial management to deliver a better service to motorists.
While state and federal transportation funding are the long-standing sources for money, those sources aren't making ends meet anymore.

"I would be willing to guess within five years there will be no more federal gas-tax money to build roads, only maintain them," said Stephen Hogan, executive director of Northwest Parkway Public Highway Authority. The Northwest Parkway is a 10-mile toll road near Denver, opened in 2003. The project was entirely funded by a private company, and was completed in five years.

"No one wants to pay a toll, but whether it's a toll or a tax, everybody's paying," he said. "If you do it through an entity that's focused on building a toll road, you'll get it done quicker," Hogan said.
Drive in metro Phoenix during morning or afternoon rush hour, and you know the situation: highways that look like parking lots. When it comes to roads, drivers need a choice to get them out of congestion and gridlock.

Pay as You Go
Our highways have traditionally been funded with gas taxes. Since state and federal gas taxes no longer generate enough money to build and maintain the current system to appropriate capacity levels, tolls are another option that have the advantage of charging only those who use the roads.

More Roads, More Choices, More Time
Our population continues to grow, and so does the demand for new and better roads. Tolls can supplement highway funds in the fight against congestion; with cash upfront, miles of toll roads can be finished faster than highways funded simply by gas taxes. Tolling also provides motorists more routes and more time-saving choices.

A Choice of Routes
Drivers who prefer not to pay a toll will always have a non-tolled alternative.

Sooner is Better than Later
Toll roads and toll lanes give drivers a much-needed option to get where they want to go. With tolling, we can begin to solve our traffic problems now, without motorists having to pay higher gas taxes.