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Indiana Bill Expanding Governor’s Tolling Discretion Advances

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With the unanimous approval of the Indiana Senate’s Homeland Security and Transportation Committee, an amended version of HB 1461 has moved to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Post-Tribune (via Chicago Tribune) reports. The legislation as amended would still give Indiana’s governor more tolling discretion by allowing him to implement interstate highway tolls without prior legislative approval, provided INDOT first receives the necessary Federal Highway Administration waiver.

The article looks at other state and local transportation funding mechanisms set out in the bill. Its prime sponsor, Representative Jim Pressel (R-20), warns that the state will face a transportation fiscal cliff by 2030 because of annual drops in fuel tax revenue and inflation’s impact on the construction industry. In a recent Senate committee hearing on the bill, Pressel stated, “When your road funding revenue is based on gallons sold . . . we are having the conversation: How do we fund roads into the future? Should it come out of the general fund? I don’t believe that to be true. I think we should have user fees. You pay for what you use.”

The Times of Northwest Indiana also covers this story.

Connecticut DOT Technology Effectively Reduces Wrong-Way Driving Incidents

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CTNewsJunkie.com reports, Connecticut’s 151 wrong-way driving detection and prevention system installations are working, according to a Connecticut DOT spokesperson. Joe Cooper says, “Nearly 300 drivers have entered the highway in the wrong direction, saw the flashing lights, stopped, and turned around. Those are lives saved as a result of this technology.”

The state employs video cameras to detect vehicles moving the wrong direction. When a wrong-way vehicle is detected, “lights affixed to big red ‘Wrong Way’ signs begin to flash to alert the driver. Meanwhile, the Connecticut DOT Highway Operations Center . . . and State Police receive a real-time alert, allowing authorities to monitor the wrong-way driver on the ramp and respond accordingly.” An online compilation video shows how drivers self-correct after receiving an alert.

CTDOT has already surpassed a statutory goal for deployment of the detection and prevention technology, and it plan to install 200 more systems at high-risk locations.

PA Turnpike Text Service Helps Customers Caught In Unexpected Traffic Backlogs

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Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) launched a new text messaging service “offering customers real-time communication during unexpected traffic backlogs and underscoring its commitment to providing a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road.” The service enables a driver encountering an unexpected backlog — not a routine commuter traffic or construction-related delay — to text “info” to 47676 and receive  “automated, location-specific information about the incident, anticipated clearance times and roadway updates.” Text updates automatically continue until the backlog clears.

PTC chief operating officer Craig Shuey commented, “We take immense pride in maintaining safe, clear roadways on the PA Turnpike. Yet, we know incidents happen. While 47676 can’t lift drivers out of a backlog, it provides them timely reassurance that incidents are being handled, and an estimate on when travel will resume.”

In June, a Pennsylvania law prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving takes effect. PTC emphasized that drivers using the new service must do so safely and in compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to in-vehicle use of  mobile devices.

PTC says the text service is the first of its kind. The idea for its development originated from the agency’s annual employee innovation challenge.

WFMZ provides some additional information about the inspiration for the text service.

Irish Truckers Push For Barrier-Free Tolling Implementation

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Citing data provided to the organization by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is demanding access to barrier-free toll lanes on all the country’s motorways within 12 months, Irish Independent reports. Of 12 tolling sites in the country, currently only the M50 is barrier-free for heavy goods vehicles. IRHA claims companies waste EUR 26 million (USD 28 million) in diesel every year at toll booths — burned fuel that releases nearly 45,000 tonnes of carbon at a time when Ireland could face major fines from the European Union if it doesn’t meet 2030 climate targets.

An LMFM Radio article includes statements by IRHA leadership on the organization’s basis for demanding toll plaza upgrades.

Some Nova Scotians Question Removal Of Halifax Bridge Tolls

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The Progressive Conservative Party’s campaign pledge to eliminate tolling on the Macdonald and MacKay bridges in Halifax is now a reality. However, in a CBC News article, some observers, including politicians and transit advocate, question the purpose and implications of the policy change — as well as its timing.

The article discusses bridge system finances, including the $36 million in toll revenue brought in last year. In 2025, by contrast, Nova Scotia is on the hook for a $15 million operating grant, $86 million in capital repairs and $300 million in debt for assuming responsibility for the facilities. The leader of a progressive think tank says the money it’s costing to eliminate the tolls would be better spent on housing, while officials elsewhere in the province chafe at subsidizing bridges they don’t use — especially the MacKay, which is due to be replaced by 2040. Transit advocates also criticize toll elimination for its implicit promotion of passenger vehicle use, which won’t ultimately alleviate congestion.

The legislature is currently debating controversial legislation (Bill 24) advanced by Premier Tim Houston’s administration to “grant the province sweeping powers over transportation and transit decisions.” A local official comments, “To me, the whole toll removal, the way it was done, is kind of a cautionary tale when it comes to Bill 24.”