IBTTA calls on Congress to repeal regulation on tolling interstate highways

The White House has released President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget, including a US$200 billion investment in infrastructure projects over the next 10 years with a focus on leveraging the power of public private partnerships. The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has responded, saying the government should repeal the burden of regulation and give states maximum flexibility to use financing tools to meet their local needs. 35 states and territories throughout the country have u
May 24, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The White House has released President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget, including a US$200 billion investment in infrastructure projects over the next 10 years with a focus on leveraging the power of public private partnerships.


The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (63 IBTTA) has responded, saying the government should repeal the burden of regulation and give states maximum flexibility to use financing tools to meet their local needs.

35 states and territories throughout the country have utilized tolling in one form or another to help pay for infrastructure development.   There are currently over 5,900 miles of tolled roads throughout the United States today that generate over US$13 billion in toll revenues annually and support billions of dollars of capital investments each year.

IBTTA executive director and CEO Patrick D. Jones, said that, to complement the proposed $200 billion for infrastructure projects included in the budget and the administration’s call for regulatory reform, Congress should lift the ban on tolling interstate highways. Congress should give states access to one more tool in the toolbox by allowing them to toll their Interstate highways specifically to rebuild them.  This wouldn’t be a mandate; no state would be required to toll their interstates.  This would simply give states an option, the flexibility to choose tolling if it makes sense to them.

He continued, “Toll financing is not the answer for every infrastructure project in the country, but the power of tolling is proven and effective.  Giving states flexibility to toll their interstates for the purpose of reconstruction is consistent with two principles outlined in transportation secretary Elaine Chao’s recent testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: long term reform on how infrastructure projects are regulated and broadening and expanding participation in infrastructure funding so that more projects can be undertaken overall.”

Charging, Tolling & RUC

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Oregon tests new mileage-base charging scheme
    August 5, 2013
    Jack Opiola from D’Artagnan Consulting LLP explains Oregon’s latest moves which mandated a trial of mileage-based road use charging. In 1919, Oregon made the 20th century’s most significant contribution to transportation funding policy, becoming the first state in America to implement a gas tax to pay for roads. This summer Oregon’s Legislature passed, and Governor John Kitzhaber signed into law, Senate Bill 810 which requires a distance-based road usage charge for 5,000 volunteer vehicles by 1 July 2015. T
    Read More
  • Ken Leonard talks to ITS International
    August 21, 2014
    Ken Leonard, director of the USDOT’s ITS Joint Program office made time in his schedule during the Helsinki Congress to speak to ITS International. It has been 18 months since Ken Leonard took over as the director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office at the US Department of Transportation. With 30 years of technical experience behind him, to say he is enjoying the challenge would be to put it mildly: “It is incredibly exciting to be working in intelligent transportation systems, th
    Read More
  • ITS projects deliver return on investment
    December 3, 2012
    Light is being shed on where the real return on investment is today – growing, tangible, revenue-generating markets like ITS. There is a great deal of investment going on within the ITS space, and a great deal of external interest in investing in ITS,” says Scott Belcher, President and CEO of ITS America, which has been connecting investors with technology firms ripe for investment. Interested parties include the leading investment banking firm Raymond James. Its managing director, Gary Downing says: “ITS i
    Read More
  • ITS America Annual Meeting - setting the scene
    May 1, 2012
    Gloria J. Jeff, District of Columbia Department of Transportation, and one of the co-chairs of the 2012 Annual Meeting Organizing Committee, sets the scene on what will be this year’s most important event for the ITS industry.
    Read More

Highlighted Content