Thirteen thousand vehicles, about half of them commercial trucks, travel through Wyoming on I-80 every day. The Wyoming Department of Transportation estimates that in 30 years, the traffic levels will more than double. In order to maintain the interstate just in its present condition will cost an estimated $6.4 billion. That’s more than “the total of revenue expected to be available for maintenance of the entire state highway system, much less I-80.“ (WYDOT, 2009)
Most Toll Roads in Eastern US
In the opinion of the state’s leadership, the answer may lie in charging tolls, something only a few states in the west have done. Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas have small to moderate lengths of toll roads. California, Colorado, and Utah charge tolls on less than 10 miles each. By contrast, the state of New York has approximately 550 miles of toll ways. Illinois has about 370 miles, mostly around Chicago. (fhwa.dot.gov, 2007)
A feasibility study was performed in 2008 by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a consulting firm headquartered in New York. The same firm is currently conducting a study at the request of the Wyoming State Legislature. This study is intended to give the legislature information to decide whether or not to start charging tolls to cross I-80 to pay for not only maintenance, but expansion, possibly adding an addition lane of traffic in each direction.
While it’s too early to say what the actual toll charges could be for commercial or private vehicles, examples from other states might give a bit of perspective. For instance, paying cash on the Kansas Turnpike traveling from the southern terminal 4 to the eastern terminal 236 costs a five axle truck $28.36. (ksturnpike.com, 2009) Those trips cost about 12c/mi over and above normal operating expenses. New York’s average cost per mile for trucks is 20 cents.
To drive across the length of Wyoming across Interstate 80 is roughly 400 miles. At even the low estimate of 11 cents per mile, that would cost a long haul truck $44.00 every trip.
Shun-Piking to Get Around Tolls
The study is also investigating the likelihood of “toll diversion”, also known as “shun-piking” – taking alternate routes to avoid paying tolls, and its impact on local businesses and infrastructure. Many truck drivers, especially owner and smaller trucking companies which feel the impact of tolls more immediately on their balance sheets, intentionally route their loads on lesser highways, incurring more mileage but saving the money they might otherwise have to pay in tolls each trip.
Although it’s not intended to be a major part of the final report, one other aim of the study is to investigate the willingness of neighboring states to “form a multistate coalition to support tolling in the I-80 corridor, charging tolls across a far larger portion of I-80.” (WY DOT, 2009)
Open-House Meetings Going On Now
There are five “open house-public meetings” scheduled for the public to voice their opinions and get more information. They are:
- June 15, 2009 in Laramie
- June 16, 2009 in Cheyenne
- June 17, 2009 in Rawlins
- June 18, 2009 in Rock Springs
- June 19, 2009 in Evanston
Those who aren’t able to make those meetings and want their voices heard can take a survey and/or contact the WYDOT by email or by phone to the public affairs office at 307-777-4013 (Dave Kingham) or 307-777-4439 (Bruce Burrows).
The DOT’s report is expected to be completed by September 1, 2009. According the Dave Kingham of the WY DOT Public Affairs office in a comment to Suite101 in June, 2009, "It is up to the Legislature to decide whether to impose a toll, and the FHWA would then have to approve whatever proposal the state made. If the Legislature and FHWA were ever to approve tolling in Wyoming, implementing the tolls would still be years away."
Sources:
Wyoming Department of Transportation website
Kansas Department of Transportation website
US DOT, Federal Highway Administration website
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