Adrienne Packer | ROAD WARRIOR

Arizona has big backer for I-15 toll road plan

If Arizona officials need only a single supporter to push through their proposal to place toll booths on the portion of Interstate 15 that links Nevada and Utah, they just might have their man.

It doesn't get more promising than Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez.

Our neighbors to the southeast say they are simply exploring the idea of charging vehicles to pass through Arizona on roughly 30 miles of the interstate, but the Federal Highway Administration will ultimately rule on the toll road proposal.

Last year, Obama administration officials announced they will allow three non-toll interstates to charge motorists under its Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program, an experiment designed to determine whether tolling is a viable method to generate funds to maintain or widen aging freeways.

Mendez said he and his boss, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, both are for exploring new techniques to raise money to keep the interstate system healthy.

"Secretary LaHood has been clear that he is open to all options. There are a lot of demands and needs," Mendez said Tuesday. "Our system is aging."

Missouri and Virginia already have secured two of those spots in the pilot program, and the federal government is entertaining applications for the third.

Interstate 15 not only is an integral road for commercial truckers, it also is the only direct route between Southern Utah and Las Vegas. Residents in St. George have been known to sneak across the border to Mesquite for a little gambling, and Mesquite citizens travel to St. George for medical services.

Leaders in those communities obviously are not thrilled with the idea, especially when the proposed toll rate is $1 to $3 for passenger vehicles and $6 to $10 for commercial trucks.

Taxpayers outside the immediate area also are irked at the idea that a federally funded interstate soon could charge taxpayers to use the very freeway they already paid to have built. Traditionally, toll roads are new freeways constructed and maintained by private enterprises.

Mendez has heard that argument but doesn't buy into it.

"It's like when you buy a home. You may have paid it off, but you still have to maintain it," Mendez said. "If the plumbing goes, you are going to pay to have it fixed."

In its application to the federal government, Arizona transportation officials said that the portion of the interstate, which includes a scenic 12-mile stretch through the Virgin River Gorge, is in dire need of repairs. They estimated the cost to make the improvements to the roadway and eight bridges will run around $250 million.

Their beef is that few Arizonans drive that freeway. The only Arizona communities even near the small portion of Interstate 15 are the small towns of Littlefield and Beaver.

"Arizona derives virtually no economic benefit from the interstate, as it runs through a remote, lightly populated corner with few commercial businesses," the application filed in August says. "Yet it is a highway of critical regional and national importance."

In a nutshell: Interstate 15 is the trade route between Canada and Mexico so the United States can't let it go to pot, but it is also more pricey than the average freeway to maintain because it runs through the narrow gorge and Arizona officials don't want to be stuck with the bill because it is of little use to their residents.

If anyone understands that, it's Mendez, who served as director of the Arizona Department of Transportation before he became chief of the Federal Highway Administration. If anyone doesn't, it is trucking associations and residents in Nevada and Utah. Judging by reactions days after we unveiled Arizona's proposal, Mendez should expect to here some noise from those states' leaders.

"Every state pays into the Highway Trust Fund, and every state receive money from the Highway Trust Fund to maintain the segments of the Interstate Highway System inside their respective borders," Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said in a statement released days after we revealed Arizona's plans.

"Arizona cannot pick and choose which parts of our national interstate network it wants to maintain. If Arizona has been negligent in its maintenance of I-15, it should not try and foist its responsibility onto highway users or neighboring states who already pay into the system with their own tax dollars."

Representatives for Gov. Brian Sandoval said he has not taken a position on the proposal, but his team in Washington, D.C., is monitoring Arizona's application.

Transportation agencies have historically paid for new freeways and improvements with fuel taxes. As more fuel-efficient vehicles have hit the road, the interstate coffers have quickly dwindled. The federal government is exploring more innovative ideas such as charging motorists per mile they travel and, of course, toll roads.

"We are always looking for resources to add capacity and maintain the existing interstate system," Mendez said.

It sounds as though Arizona has the top guy on its side.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904, or send an email to roadwarrior @reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. rektree Feb. 16, 2012 | 6:15 a.m. Report Abuse

   Beergolf, you've got the plan. The sales of fuel and other items at stations in Nevada and Utah, on either side of Arizona's 30 miles, would help to point out to AZ that this is a federal, multi-state road, not an AZ road.

2. Markr Jan. 17, 2012 | 9:23 a.m. Report Abuse

   Truckers pay fuel tax to each state they drive in, regardless of where they buy the fuel. So they've been paying a fee on this road to maintain it already for years. If Arizona has not been maintaining it, then they have taken money collected from travelers on I-15 and meant to maintain I-15, and chosen to spend it elsewhere. Perhaps they should look to spending the tax they're already collecting correctly before they add another tax (and tolls are another form of tax, after all) for the same purpose. Double Taxation, anyone?

3. Rachel Jan. 15, 2012 | 10:01 p.m. Report Abuse

   Arizona doesn't make any money from I-15? Really? Than who is driving those Arizona Trooper cars writing tickets all of the time? Or, we could just take the $500 million, plus all of the $50k bonuses that Obama is paying to Solyndra (not to mention all of the other grants to his buddies with "green companies"). That should pay for the road maintenance.

4. Overflow Jan. 15, 2012 | 8:13 p.m. Report Abuse

   Take the old highway for free.

5. beergolf Jan. 15, 2012 | 7:19 p.m. Report Abuse

   Have all commercial trucks fill up before entering AZ and after they leave. We can try it now to let AZ see how this may effect the state.

6. truckerjimbob Jan. 15, 2012 | 5:43 p.m. Report Abuse

   This is a no brainer, simply charge a fee for anybody living in AZ but working in NV plus have Metro search speciffically for AZ plates on new cars bought in St George which have not registered in NV and GOUGE THEM WITH A HUGE FINE!!! And that's not all, pay the toll one penny at a time.

7. elveret.odamit Jan. 15, 2012 | 5:03 p.m. Report Abuse

   Another form of Bummer admin and the dems to raise taxes. soon all U.S. highways will be toll roads. this space cadet is really hurting the middle class hard working people. doesn`t affect the very rich and the politicians either they have money or have exempt passes to get through or fly on taxpayer money. he`s delivering many detrimental changes for the middle class.

8. Truthsayer Jan. 15, 2012 | 5:01 p.m. Report Abuse

   "Comments will be reviewed within 24 hours" or later and selectively I have observed! C'mon RJ, is this really the best you can do?

9. EngineerChris Jan. 15, 2012 | 4:31 p.m. Report Abuse

   We would not have these sort of problems if the feds would stop siphoning off highway funds for trains, mass transit, jogging paths, bike lanes, etc. - put ALL of these funds into highways and nothing but highways.....let the others sink or swim on their own.

10. American values Jan. 15, 2012 | 3:53 p.m. Report Abuse

    - Let's see - OUR Taxes paid for the roads, the gasoline taxes pay to maintain it and now WE have to Pay to use it?
    
    who would vote for anyone thats supports stuff like this? Transporation funds get diverted and now they want MORE of OUR tax money - and this is a way to get it. - Can WE vote these people out of office - shrink DC - let the states handle 70% of what DC is handling - and restore America's greatness, prosperity and way of life?
    
    VOTE RIGHT - the leftwing marxists are currently destroying our economy, freedoms, strength, energy, security, prosperity ....and way of life...
    
    Vote for People that have AMERICAN VALUES.

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