Brent Spence Bridge Fix

[OlDog75]

That wont happen, in the Ohio bill that passed, it directly says they dont have to use the toll money for the cost of the bridge and can use the funds elsewhere.

I hope KY sticks to their guns and says no tolls.

 

So local Kentucky residents get stuck with the majority of the bill for an INTERSTATE highway bridge, amazing.

[OlDog75]

That would certainly be ideal. At this point I see tolls as a necessary evil. One can only hope that Kentucky would think to write that into their proposed bill someday...

 

For what it's worth, there are lots of tolled roads where locally registered license plates receive a lower toll than other vehicles do. I think that would be a reasonable condition to put on the bridge toll bill as well.

 

And paid for 40 years(estimate I've heard), but more than likely FOREVER. I'm telling you, once this gets on that bridge it will NEVER come off.

[HammerTime]

That wont happen, in the Ohio bill that passed, it directly says they dont have to use the toll money for the cost of the bridge and can use the funds elsewhere.

 

I hope KY sticks to their guns and says no tolls.

Then why is it in the bill? How ignorant.

[2 Humped Camel]

I heard Kaisich at his press conference imploring KY legislators to pass a bill allowing tolls. I'm sure Ohio would love for this to happen since KY residence will bear the vast majority of the cost of the bridge.

[Jim Schue]

And paid for 40 years(estimate I've heard), but more than likely FOREVER. I'm telling you, once this gets on that bridge it will NEVER come off.

 

I just don't get why you're so sure about this, given the fact that there are no tolls remaining on any of the parkways in Ky, even though they all started out as toll roads.

[Jim Schue]

I heard Kaisich at his press conference imploring KY legislators to pass a bill allowing tolls. I'm sure Ohio would love for this to happen since KY residence will bear the vast majority of the cost of the bridge.

 

Will this be because Ky owns most of the river? Or is there some other reason you feel Kentucky residents will get stuck with the bill? I'm just not following all the apprehension over this, for something so necessary.

[ColonelCrazy]

Will this be because Ky owns most of the river? Or is there some other reason you feel Kentucky residents will get stuck with the bill? I'm just not following all the apprehension over this' date=' for something so necessary.[/quote']

 

As I'm sure you know, Many KY residents work in Ohio. Although some Ohio residents work in Kentucky, it is far fewer. I assume that's what he means.

[ColonelCrazy]

I'm conflicted.

 

On one hand, I think whatever needs to be done to construct a new bridge is the best choice.

 

The bridge gets so much expressway traffic (as opposed to local traffic) that I don't mind passing the cost off to those companies that rely on it regularly.

 

At the same time, I cross the bridge daily and don't necessarily want to pay the tolls each day.

[OlDog75]

I just don't get why you're so sure about this, given the fact that there are no tolls remaining on any of the parkways in Ky, even though they all started out as toll roads.

 

Well, from what I can gather, the average number of years tolls were collected for the 8 or 9 toll roads that were in KY is 30 years. However governor Beshear announced plans to extend the Mountain Parkway to US 23 in Prestonsburg, which would include widening the highway to four lanes for its entire length and is expected to lead to the reinstatement of tolls on the highway.

 

Granted these were state toll roads not Interstate highways and the number of people using each would not come near that of the 1-75/71 bridge. Like I stated, this bridge toll/tax will be a boon to the states of KY and Ohio. Hell Kasich from Ohio has just about said as much and has made no bones about the fact that he will use money collected from tolls for other parts of Ohio and not necessarily to help pay off the bridge!

 

The 40 year number is what I heard on WLW radio during an interview with one of the Covington City officials.

[Voice of Reason]

With the way they can do electronic tolls today, why can't they set up codes that deeply discount the toll to local residents. Prove that you live within I275, and you can buy a transponder that sets your toll at a minimal amount like a quarter per crossing. Set the number where it needs to be but have a cap on how much local residents can be charged.

[Habib]

In my mind, tolls aren't the best option, but if it gets the thing done then so be it. I wish the state of Kentucky could find a way to finance it without them, and I think they could have, but it's politically unpalatable. And the same for the federal government. It's in their domain, but politically unpalatable. I think a decent amount of leadership could have overcome those things too.

 

Out of ignorance, what are the proposed tolls for a new bridge? I'm skeptical that they will disappear once the the state legislatures realize the boon. But there are various ways to set up tolls, from the cash/EZ pass style to camera styles. I'm sort of with VoR that they could be designed to offer a discount to daily commuters, too. And can the legislation be written to ensure their closer once the debt is covered? There are tolls in Indiana/Illinois that are around a dollar or less and there are tolls like the Verrazano or George Washington bridges in New York that are $13-15. Have there been proposed toll costs?

[OlDog75]

With the way they can do electronic tolls today, why can't they set up codes that deeply discount the toll to local residents. Prove that you live within I275, and you can buy a transponder that sets your toll at a minimal amount like a quarter per crossing. Set the number where it needs to be but have a cap on how much local residents can be charged.

 

More than likely it will be something like you describe but it will NOT be that low of a price.

[SportsGuy41017]

I'm OK with the tolls as long as they go away once it's paid off.

We won't be around to see it paid off

[SportsGuy41017]

I've driven across that bridge several times but really don't pay much attention to it. Is the biggest issue that it is unsafe (going to fall into the river)' date=' not safe to drive (bad visibility) or over just way crowded?[/quote']

Functionally obsolete. So over crowded, and bad visibility. It also used to be only 3 lanes each way, now it's 4.

[2 Humped Camel]

Will this be because Ky owns most of the river? Or is there some other reason you feel Kentucky residents will get stuck with the bill? I'm just not following all the apprehension over this, for something so necessary.

 

Because many more KY residents commute to OH to work everyday in Cincinnati than vice versa.