State takes look at using toll roads

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Someday, a one-way trip on Interstate 55 from Cape Girardeau to Festus could cost a $4 toll.

With voters' overwhelming rejection last week of a $483 million tax increase to help improve roads and bridges, the Missouri Department of Transportation is renewing efforts to secure the legal authority to build a system of toll roads.

One of the reasons given for the defeat of the tax proposal was that it for the first time would have used sales tax revenue instead of just user fees, such as fuel taxes, to fund road construction. Proponents say tolls are the ultimate user fee, with only those who drive a particular highway or cross a certain bridge paying for it.

A preliminary feasibility study of possible toll roads was presented to the State Highways and Transportation Commission on Thursday. The study, which cost $125,000, looked at 15 highways -- every major roadway in the state -- and seven bridges as possible candidates for tolls.

The report concluded that further study was warranted on all of the bridge projects and six of the highways, including I-55.

No commitment

MoDOT spokesman Jeff Briggs stressed that the study was simply to examine how a system of toll roads might work in Missouri.

"It should not be interpreted as any kind of project commitment," Briggs said.

Two other highways going through Southeast Missouri were examined for possible tolling but not deemed economically feasible. It was estimated that tolls on those roads, Highway 60 from Sikeston to Springfield and Highway 67 from Farmington to the Arkansas state line, would cover less than 40 percent of the construction costs for upgrading them to four-lane freeways.

The I-55 proposal would include a total reconstruction of the four-lane highway from Festus to the Arkansas state line. It is estimated the tolls generated would cover 80 to 100 percent of the construction cost, which could be up to $1.15 billion.

Recommended tolls for driving the entire 174-mile stretch would be $10 for a passenger vehicle and $22.50 for a commercial vehicle. From Cape Girardeau to Festus, the fee would be $4 for cars and $9 for commercial trucks. A trip from Cape Girardeau to Arkansas would cost $6 for cars and $13.50 for trucks.

Idea has failed before

Before MoDOT could move beyond simply studying toll roads and into construction, a number of hurdles would have to be cleared.

The biggest would be getting the General Assembly to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would allow toll roads and then convincing voters to approve it. But efforts to create tolls roads in Missouri have failed on several occasions.

In 1967, the General Assembly approved a bill creating the Missouri Turnpike Authority. It was signed into law by Gov. Warren Hearnes, who had pushed for its passage. However, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously declared the law unconstitutional a year later.

A constitutional amendment to authorize toll roads went before voters in 1970 but was rejected by nearly 71 percent. Another toll roads amendment appeared on the ballot in 1992 and failed with 57 percent of voters opposed.

In 2001, the House of Representatives passed a toll roads amendment, but the measure died without being debated in the Senate.

State Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, voted against that proposal but said toll roads merit further consideration.

"I think exploring tolls roads is a very real possibility," Crowell said. "I'm not saying I support it for any specific project, but I do support listening and hearing MoDOT's pitch."

Crowell said he doubted Southeast Missouri residents would support converting I-55 into a tollway. He also expressed concern about the effect of limiting access to a handful of toll collection points could have on existing businesses, such as gas stations and hotels, that rely on traffic from the interstate.

The 2001 legislation would have allowed tolls to be collected only until the project had paid for itself, after which time the highway or bridge could be used for free.

State Rep. Jim Seigfreid, D-Marshall, sponsored that measure and plans to reintroduce it when the legislature convenes in January.

One exemption allowed

Even if lawmakers and voters endorsed a toll roads amendment, there is no guarantee the I-55 project would be undertaken.

Federal law largely prohibits tolling on interstate highways, except on those where tolls were imposed prior to the law's passage. However, states can ask for an exemption for one such project. In addition to I-55, further study of possible tolling for four other interstate highways in Missouri -- I-29, I-35, I-44 and I-70 -- was recommended. The state could get a federal exemption for only one of those projects.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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