White House Plan Calls for Streamlining Project Delivery and Giving States Flexibility to Toll Interstate Highways

International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association executive director and CEO, Patrick D. Jones, issued the following statement in response to the official release of President Trump’s infrastructure plan, “Legislative Outline for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America." 

“We commend the administration for focusing on the need to reinvest in America’s infrastructure. We also applaud the administration’s proposal to give states flexibility to toll interstate highways to help rebuild them. While tolling is not appropriate in every circumstance, it is a proven tool that speeds project delivery and provides a steady stream of funding for future road maintenance and improvements. We look forward to working closely with the administration and Congress on a robust plan to improve America’s vital transportation infrastructure.”

There are 129 distinct toll entities in the U.S. operating 327 separate toll road, bridge, and tunnel facilities in 35 states that account for nearly 6,200 miles of roadway and 5.7 billion trips per year. Some of the highest capacity, Interstate quality highways in America would never have been built without tolling.

Building a Stronger America: President Donald J. Trump's American Infrastructure Initiative

On page 20-21 of that document:

Provide States Tolling Flexibility
Provide States flexibility to toll on Interstates and reinvest toll revenues in infrastructure. Currently, Federal law allows tolling Interstates in limited circumstances. Tolling restrictions foreclose what might otherwise serve as a major source of revenue for infrastructure investment. Providing States flexibility to toll existing Interstates would generate additional revenues for States to invest in surface transportation infrastructure. Current requirements that States must reinvest toll revenues in infrastructure would continue to apply.

Reconcile the grandfathered restrictions on use of highway toll revenues with current law. Toll facilities that received Federal approval under the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 (STURRA) may use toll revenues only for the construction, reconstruction, operation, and debt service of the toll facility itself. Current law, however, allows other toll facilities to use toll revenues (in addition to the costs noted above) on other title 23 projects. The tighter restrictions, specific to the STURRA toll facilities, prevent some States from devoting existing toll revenues to other critical highway projects. Adjusting the STURRA “use of revenues” provisions to align with current toll authorities would free these resources and allow other critical highway projects to go forward.