Users May Accept Tolls if They See Benefits, Experts Say

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RLINGTON, Va. — Tolling can be a useful tool for states to use in reducing highway congestion, but only if users see benefits from the added fees, said speakers at a recent highway funding conference.

The public is generally supportive of tolls under certain conditions, Ed Regan, senior vice president with consulting firm Wilbur Smith Associates of New Haven, Conn., told attendees of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s transportation finance summit here Nov. 17.

“Public opinion about tolls is not nearly as negative as elected officials sometimes perceive,” he said.

John Gentle, global leader for carrier relations with Owens Corning and chairman of the National Industrial Transportation League’s highway committee, agreed, saying the industry’s acceptance of tolls depends on the benefits trucking companies and shippers receive from them.

For the full story, see the Nov. 28 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.