Denver, CO – According to a Colorado Public Radio report, CDOT plans to add 142 new miles of “double tax” (express) lanes in the next five years. Colorado Politics also reported on the plan.
CDOT, of course, claims the idea that express lanes are a double tax on citizens is a myth. We disagree, however, and so do many drivers. After all, why should anyone have to pay to use a road built with their tax dollars?
CDOT provided this handy graphic for people to see where construction will take place, and where it is considering future construction.
While express lanes do ease some congestion, the majority of drivers we speak with do not like them. The lanes are often unaffordable when traffic is bad enough for people to fork over the cost of their next meal. Nick Farber, who directs the High Performance Transportation Enterprise division of CDOT, said CDOT must deter drivers from using express lanes for them to work.
Express lanes are an antidote to congestion, Farber said. If an express lane gets too crowded and travel speeds drop below 45 miles an hour, CDOT just raises the price to deter too many people from getting into it.
From: Whether You Love Toll Lanes Or Hate ‘Em, You Can Expect Them Pretty Much Everywhere On The Front Range, by Nathaniel Minor
So CDOT is pricing out drivers who paid to build the express lanes in the first place. It sure sounds like they are picking winners and losers.
If you can afford it, CDOT plans to triple the existing miles of express lanes over the next five years. If you cannot afford it, tough luck, you can sit in traffic while a select few utilize the roads built with your tax dollars.
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I think it should be put on the ballot next year to outlaw toll lanes in Colorado. We all pay for those lanes the are made for the elites!!!
Great idea !