We’re on the road this morning to visit my brother and his lovely wife in South Carolina. We’re leaving the Orlando area on the Florida Turnpike, one of the state’s many toll roads.
Apparently Florida leads the country with about 720 miles of toll roads. The next 5 are TX, OK, NY, PA, and NJ. this is a bit of a new experience for us as our home state of MN doesn’t have any toll roads.
Overall, I like them. They are among the best paved and laid out freeways around. Zero congestion. Our town of Celebration FL is directly connected with a tollway to the Orlando Airport. It’s just $1.50 to zip straight to MCO without any traffic jams. (Taking the non-tollway to MCO would add 10-15 minutes of congestion).
Looking at my credit card statement, we’ve spent $110 on tolls since we came down in January. I would guess we’ll top out at $200 by the end of the year. that’s not a small amount of money, but I’m willing to pay it.
Florida doesn’t have an income tax, so I guess it’s a “fairer” funding mechanism to charge people who use the road rather than everyone across the state. They have plans to build some additional ones (and add toll HOV lanes on Interstate 4), so I guess it’s working overall.
How many toll roads do you have in your area or on your travels? Like them or not?
Image: (c) MrFireStation.com
MrFireStation 
Here is another thought on toll roads. In most states, gasoline taxes pay for road construction and maintenance. Electric Vehicles are getting a free ride despite weighing more than equivalent dino powered vehicles. More weight equals more wear and tear.
The LA Area has toll roads that I use when they are available. They have one between LA and San Diego that dramatically reduces the travel time. I have a toll transponder attached on each of my four vehicles’ windscreen. We just need more toll roads!
Because of electric vehicles free riding, pay by the mile is coming. It will save our family that buys our full sized American cars a lot at the pump.
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Yeah – EVs are getting a bit of a free ride right now. In Minnesota, they get charged a $75 annual fee to make up for the gas tax “slip”. That’s going to $150 soon. There is also a $.03 / kwh “tax” on public charging stations. It is similar in Florida.
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Toll roads are the epitome of “if you use it, you pay for it”. Unlike other nebulous ways that government entities siphon dollars from us, at least you know with a toll road that you’re getting something of value and immediate in return. So yes, I like toll roads and use them when needed.
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Agree. And, with the digital transponders or license plate readers, it’s quick. No stopping for a toll gate or anything!
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