Ohio is looking to Indiana, specifically our toll road privatization, as an example of what not to do.
Opponents of privatizing Ohio’s Turnpike paint a bleak vision of Indiana’s Toll Road: a pot-hole ridden, poor quality, piece of “crap” with high tolls.
I have not driven up that way in a number of years, so I can’t comment on the accuracy of these characterizations. Since the 75 year lease (just 70 years to go!) went into place, on occasions where the Toll Road was an option, I have generally chosen alternate routes. Sure is nice of drivers in Northern Indiana to pay for a lot of road construction in the rest of the state though.
Correction: The skyway is a pot-hole ridden, poor quality, piece of “crap” with high tolls and tollbooths without attendants, designed in hell.
The opponents in Ohio should work “hellscape” into their commentary.
I don’t see what the problem is. I live up here, I drive on it. It doesn’t have more potholes than any other road around here, especially I-65. Tolls are high, oh well. You have to pay for roads some way. Use IPass, you hardly even notice them.
I LOVE the Skyway. It’s the only place in Chicago that you can drive 90 mph during rush hour. It is very underutilized.
I am hoping that they expand the privatization. Make more highways into toll roads, and privatize them. In particular, the Cline Ave. Bridge is ripe for privatization (in that case, a public-private partnership to replace the bridge).
Ohio just got EZPass on their tollroad, 16 years after the New York State Thruway installed it. They’re a LITTLE behind on things out there.
Come on, Doug- From each according to their ability, right? The northern part of the state merely had their wealth redistributed by a well-intentioned, all-knowing bureaucracy. Rah rah! Feel good all over!
If Ohio does this, I hope the one thing they correct is to get the same money, but for 15 years instead of 75. We have no idea whatsoever what the value of money is going to be in 15 years, let alone 75.
The Ohio Turnpike Commission was supposed to sunset once the road was paid for. Nothing quite so permanent as a temporary government solution.