Legislation's sponsor says toll roads unlikely

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As he began presenting a bill that would allow toll roads and bridges in Missouri, state Rep. Lanie Black bluntly told a legislative committee that he knew once Wednesday's hearing was over there would be no further action on the matter during this election year.

However, Black, R-Charleston, said the issue merits serious discussion to determine if toll authority might at some future date be a feasible method for financing select projects.

"We are in a very difficult situation," Black said. "My goal is just to make people understand the difficulty and where we need to go from here."

While Missouri relies primarily on fuel taxes to pay for transportation improvements, Black said voters appear unwilling to add to the state's tax of 17 cents per gallon.

"I think a nickel fuel tax increase would probably make people sick," Black said.

If higher taxes aren't possible, then toll roads could be an alternative, he said.

In addition to Black's bill, the House Transportation and Motor Vehicles Committee also heard a companion constitutional amendment sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia.

While Black's bill spells out how toll authority would be implemented, the Missouri Constitution currently prohibits toll roads. If the two measures were to clear the legislature in spite of Black's prediction to the contrary, voters in November would have to ratify Harris' amendment dropping that prohibition for Black's bill to take effect.

Missourians rejected toll-road amendments by wide margins in 1970 and 1992. But supporters are hopeful that voters could be convinced of the benefits of tolling.

"People don't like toll roads, but they like poor roads even less," said state Rep. J.C. Kuessner, D-Eminence.

Missouri Department of Transportation chief engineer Kevin Keith said toll authority wouldn't come close to paying for all of Missouri's transportation needs but could be appropriate in certain circumstances.

A primary candidate would be Interstate 70, which is sorely in need of a total reconstruction that would cost as much as $3 billion -- money MoDOT doesn't have. Black's bill initially would authorize just six toll projects. In addition to I-70, the list would include a similar reconstruction of I-44 and a U.S. 71 bypass in southwest Missouri. Also included would be a new Missouri River bridge in Kansas City and Mississippi River bridges in St. Louis and Mississippi County.

Any future toll projects sought by MoDOT would have to be approved by the legislature.

Even if Missouri lawmakers and voters endorsed tolling, a change in federal law would be required in order to allow tolls on existing interstate highways. Congress is currently considering such a change.

MoDOT envisions "open tolling" under which toll collections points would be built at set intervals and free travel allowed between those points. Even with such a system, Ron Leone, vice president of the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, said toll roads would hurt existing roadside businesses.

"My members are deathly afraid that toll roads will affect their customer base," Leone said.

The Senate Transportation Committee considered several toll proposals last month but has taken no action.

The House measures are HB 857 and HJR 31.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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