Our View

Our View

To toll or not to toll — that is the question

This idea has been talked about, it has even been part of a 2010 recommendation from former Gov.

Mike Beebe’s special Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance, as well as a likely possibility under Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s special task force to come up with ways to meet the future financial needs of Arkansas highways, bridges and roads.

Now, we hear the Arkansas Highway Commission just approved an order to solicit consultants to study using tolls to complete a 13-mile section of Interstate 49 from I-40, where I-49 ends now, south to Arkansas 22 in Barling.

Such a plan, if it becomes reality, also includes a partnership between the state and a private operator on a roadway project in Arkansas.

The way these highway bureaucrats are thinking on this public-private venture is that a private entity would actually design, build, operate and maintain the facility until it is paid for and can then become a “free’ route.

We are somewhat skeptical of this promise of doing away with the toll concept once the project is paid for in that we know of very few government tax plans that simply disappear over time unless such a promise is written in stone.

Nevertheless, the idea of creating toll roads as a means of generating new revenue for state highways has been bounced around for years and something we knew, sooner or later, would wind up on the “todo” list, not to say that tolls aren’t altogether a bad thing.

In fact, toll roads have been a favorite source of highway revenue all along the upper east coast as well as in south Florida and many other states as well.

Just exactly how Arkansans will take to forking over money to travel on this section of highway is anyone’s guess, but we’re sure most motorists will be led to believe this is simply the price to pay to get new and improved highways in the future.

These highway experts claim that building the new segment would fill in the gap between Arkansas 549 and I-40, providing a continuous interstate from U.S. 71 south of Fort Smith to U.S. 71 south of Fort Smith to U.S. 71 in Bentonville.

Predictions are the estimated price tag of the 13.7 mile segment between Barling and Alma is $380 million. Promoters of this project are selling the idea that completing the segment would not only help attract manufacturing jobs, but also retain the manufacturing jobs the region already has.

Let us say that yes, highways do play a role in economic development, but let us make it clear that there is much, much more to attracting new business and industry than just major highway projects. If any area of the state should recognize this is the very prosperous northwest region.

Those of us struggling in the state’s delta region would just love to think that road projects was the only thing holding us back from economic prosperity. We would love to have just some of what our fellow Arkansans who reside in this growing part of the state are relishing in right now.