US mayors and state governors now both formally want right to toll

Lobby groups for America's cities and states now are on record as wanting the right to toll without federal restriction.

The National Governors Association last year adopted this as formal policy:

"Governors support the removal of federal restrictions on states’ authority to toll federally-aided highways."

This is Policy Position EDC-13. Surface Transportation dated 2009/07/20 and under Funding at 13.2.2

see http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.8358ec82f5b198d18a278110501010a0/?vgnextoid=289a9e2f1b091010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=4b18f074f0d9ff00VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD

Similarly the National League of Cities say:

“Congress should allow the use of toll financing on federally aided highway, tunnel and bridge projects.”

This is at p98 under 'b.' at Surface Transportation Revenue Sources of their Transportation Principles policy position.

see http://www.nlc.org/ASSETS/3008BE6329F4448AAAB8133279225E7F/5%20TIS%20NMP%202009.pdf

Credit a USDOT official for drawing attention to this.

Expressing a personal opinion he writes: "...at long last, financial necessity may have made tolling and pricing inevitable.  Moreover, who better than Governors and Mayors to anticipate that, in fact, motorists may well find tolling and pricing not only palatable, but preferable to available alternatives?  Are these policies the beginnings of a groundswell for significant change in how the U.S. funds and manages surface transportation?"

TOLLROADSnews 2009-11-30