IL tollways to get more expensive...

[waggy]

Ok the tollway's were sopposed to be paid off years ago..but this new idea is just bullshit.

chicago tribune

Already plagued by the nation's third-worst traffic congestion with little hope of building a way out of gridlock, Chicago-area motorists need to seriously consider whether they're willing to pay more to avoid traffic jams, transportation experts say.

A new federally funded study by the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Illinois Tollway suggests that it's time for Chicago to embrace the concept known as "congestion pricing."

The strategy imposes the supply-and-demand model on traffic conditions. Expressway motorists pay a fee – or a premium toll on the tollway — to use a particular lane or lanes during peak-demand periods. The fee would vary, depending on traffic — maybe about $5.39 for Reed's commute on the inbound Stevenson — and lane usage would be "managed" to guarantee steady traffic flow.


this is insane! guess its better then selling it to a private firm who will then triple the cost..

really fucking IL is insane.

 

[dfuze]

Would more or improved mass transit help out? Paying per lane sounds quite insane.

 

[spidey07]

Once they put tolls on a road, they are there forever and only get higher, even long after the road and work have been long paid for.

 

[MiniDoom]

just like taxes. once you have them, they don't go away. we have this same issue in nova with the dulles toll road. it was suppose to be paid for 30 years ago. they just keep jacking up the toll.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Would more or improved mass transit help out? Paying per lane sounds quite insane.

Chicago has pretty good mass transit.
But, there is a big problem with going from suburb to suburb ....
Currently, the Amtrack/Metra train system in chicago has like 10 spokes going out from the city .... Unless your destination is along the same spoke as your source ... chances are, you're gonna drive ... (or, if you're actually within the city proper, you can take one of several El lines to get pretty close to your destination)
If they connected all the spokes like 10-15 miles outside the inner downtown station (Union Station or Oglevie) ... then possibly ridership would significantly increase....
Also, there needs to be a better bypass route for going through or around Chicago... I-294 pretty much is used as a bypass for a lot of the long haul truckers, etc ... but ... it's also used by tons and tons of commuters ....

just like taxes. once you have them, they don't go away. we have this same issue in nova with the dulles toll road. it was suppose to be paid for 30 years ago. they just keep jacking up the toll.

Yea .. these IL toll roads were built in the 50s and expanded since then ....
They were paid off before I was born (1980), but, they of course found a use for the money so kept the tolls, and kept bumping the prices up...

 

[Platypus]

Chicago has great public trans but there is one big flaw in it which forces me to use the roads every now and then. If they were to connect the blue line further up it would be ideal. I hate that to go to the west side I basically have to go all the way downtown first which is unrealistic.

Traffic is awful lately due to all the projects happening concurrently.

 

[MotF Bane]

Nothing is more permanent than a temporary tax/toll.

 

[techs]

This is what happens when moronic teabaggers and others scream no more taxes at the top of their lungs.

Instead of progressive income taxes we get regressive increases in fees.


Teabaggers should diaf.

 

[ScottFern]

Hey Chicagoans, anyone else notice that all roadway construction has stopped entirely? The Unions are striking!!! GOD DAMNIT, its going to be Thanksgiving now until they finish it. Especially Rt 53.....

 

[MotF Bane]

This is what happens when moronic teabaggers and others scream no more taxes at the top of their lungs.

Instead of progressive income taxes we get regressive increases in fees.


Teabaggers should diaf.

Have you looked at who is in charge of Illinois lately? That's right, even when your beloved party is in charge, you'll still try to blame anyone but them for their failed policies. Oh, yeah... progressives should diaf. How's that?

 

[DesiPower]

as more and more ppl get on the wagon, ones who are left HAVE to push harder... its not surprising at all. Wait till you get the 2011 tax hikes.

 

[techs]

This is what happens when moronic teabaggers and others scream no more taxes at the top of their lungs.

Instead of progressive income taxes we get regressive increases in fees.


Teabaggers should diaf.

Have you looked at who is in charge of Illinois lately? That's right, even when your beloved party is in charge, you'll still try to blame anyone but them for their failed policies. Oh, yeah... progressives should diaf. How's that?

Uh, the new ideology of no new taxes for any reason was developed by and for the teabaggers and as a Republican party strategy.
It has become nearly impossible for any politician to raise taxes.

 

[vi edit]

This is what happens when moronic teabaggers and others scream no more taxes at the top of their lungs.

Instead of progressive income taxes we get regressive increases in fees.


Teabaggers should diaf.

LOL. Chicago and thus the rest of the state by association is a HUGELY democratic driven political machine.

 

[MotF Bane]

Uh, the new ideology of no new taxes for any reason was developed by and for the teabaggers and as a Republican party strategy.
It has become nearly impossible for any politician to raise taxes.

So, again, you will blame the minority party because the ideology of your party, the majority, has failed completely. The answer to every budgetary question is not raising taxes.

 

[PingSpike]

just like taxes. once you have them, they don't go away. we have this same issue in nova with the dulles toll road. it was suppose to be paid for 30 years ago. they just keep jacking up the toll.

Over here we had a bridge that actually had a toll and then it was removed, which I'm sure wouldn't happen now. And then the bridge fell in the lake last year.

 

[GT1999]

u n b e l i e v a b l e ! ! !

democrats FTL!!!

: (

 

[Krazy4Real]

That's retarded. Thank God I don't need to use the tollways very often at all.

 

[MiniDoom]

the good thing about tolls is you have the choice to use them or not. don't want to pay, take the slow ass side streets. don't pay income tax, go to the poke. take your pick.

 

[techs]

So, again, you will blame the minority party because the ideology of your party, the majority, has failed completely. The answer to every budgetary question is not raising taxes.

The answer for EVERY problem for the teabaggers and the Republican party and FoxNews is lowering taxes. Which is why we see more and more increases in regressive fees versus increases in the progressive income taxes.

The ideology of the rich is winning big time in America. And if it gets its way we will see an economic collapse worse than the we saw during the great depression. In fact, that is the very policies they are espousing in the let the economy crash attitude that will probably catapult them back into power.

They already destroyed Iceland with their policies. The US is well within their sites.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Hey Chicagoans, anyone else notice that all roadway construction has stopped entirely? The Unions are striking!!! GOD DAMNIT, its going to be Thanksgiving now until they finish it. Especially Rt 53.....

Yea, the strike started like a month ago ... I have a friend who's on strike ... he wants it to end since he's not making any $$$ while he's on strike .... It's annoying since they tore up one of the roads during my commute to work and never fixed it ... at least they were able to reopen the 2nd lane when the strike began ... so traffic isn't too bad ... just road is bumpy ...

 

[Zargon]

Also, there needs to be a better bypass route for going through or around Chicago... I-294 pretty much is used as a bypass for a lot of the long haul truckers, etc ... but ... it's also used by tons and tons of commuters ....

haha its called 39 to rockford

its quicker for me, being 110 miles S of 80, to go to milwaukee via rockford to 43 to Milwaukee....



US 47 needs to become an interstate, atleast from 80 up to 43 and maybe expand 173 to handle load up northm and find a way to make 57 and 55 connect between kankakee and braidwood. or atleast take 355 down to 57 at peotone

 

[BurnItDwn]

haha its called 39 to rockford


its quicker for me, being 110 miles S of 80, to go to milwaukee via rockford to 43 to Milwaukee....



US 47 needs to become an interstate, atleast from 80 up to 43 and maybe expand 173 to handle load up northm and find a way to make 57 and 55 connect between kankakee and braidwood. or atleast take 355 down to 57 at peotone

Well, I mostly meant a bypass for long haul truckers ... but I guess 39 would work ... getting to 39 from the east would be a bit of a PITA though....
I would love if 47 became an interstate ... I also wish they would do the damn 53 expansion that they keep talking about !!!

 

[MotF Bane]

Edit: too much P&N for OT.

 

[nick1985]

techs, there are many better threads to make your teabagger stand than this. lol

 

[mrjminer]

Just glad I never drive to Chicago. On the rare event I go there, I take Amtrak... round trip (so long as you get your ticket at least a few days before the train): ~$35

As an aside, I took 39 the other day when I was going somewhere near La Salle... it looked to me like it was used almost entirely by semis :O