The Times of Northwest Indiana reports that State Representative Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso), chairman of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, met with the newspaper’s editorial board to plug HB Bill 1002, his caucus’ long-term infrastructure funding plan. In addition to raising gas taxes and fees, the bill would require INDOT to seek federal approval to toll existing interstate highways. “Tolling at least some interstates in Indiana would make drivers from other states participate in funding, and prepare for increasing fuel efficiency, Soliday said. He mentioned I-65 and I-70 as most likely for tolling. And it would allow for adding lanes to those roads. . . . In spreadsheets looking at maintenance costs for the next 20 years ‘without tolling there’s a whole lot of red,’” Soliday told the editors.
