State could take lesson from Ky. tolls

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

June 30, 2009 05:09 pm

— I take exception to many of the points made by the letter writer in the June 27 paper regarding raising rates on the turnpike. As a resident of Kentucky who travels the turnpike quite often to visit my family, I am most definitely opposed to raising the rates on the turnpike. Most tourists you want to “stick it to” are unaware of the plans to raise rates, so they’re not likely to complain, are they?
The turnpike was not designed to be a business. It is not a business and it most definitely has not been operated as a business — at least not as a business should be. The tolls were supposed to be removed once the original bonds were paid off. The turnpike upgrade from two lanes to four (plus truck lanes where needed) added to the time necessary to keep the tolls. That is acceptable.
What is unconscionable is the allegation the turnpike commission diverted federal funds allocated for maintenance to the turnpike, as a part of the interstate system. The money for maintenance was there. What happened? Where is the audit of the funds allocated by the commission? If the allegations of diversion are indeed true, those responsible should be held accountable.
As the writer stated, lots of states have toll roads. When I first moved to Kentucky from West Virginia over 12 years ago, southern Kentucky had two toll roads I had to drive regularly. Fortunately, the Kentucky Commission appropriately utilized the funds earned through tolls to pay off the bonds. As a result, the toll booths on both the Western Kentucky Parkway and the Cumberland Parkway have been removed.
Yvette Coleman
Bowling Green, Ky.