Published: May 22, 2008 10:54 pm         

Turnpike tolls

The bump in the fee is definitely coming

A legislative audit released this week gave the state Parkways Authority, which operates the West Virginia Turnpike, generally high marks.

But it didn’t take a lot of reading to learn that the authority is having a hard time keeping up with much-needed maintenance on the turnpike, which is now its sole responsibility.

Quite simply, the turnpike is not taking in enough revenue to fund the millions of dollars in capital improvements required to keep the 88-mile toll road from falling into a state of disrepair.

Revenue growth has been flat the past seven years. Meanwhile, $27 million in turnpike improvements are collecting blueprint dust each year, unable to be funded. Research for the audit showed 61 percent of the turnpike is in “fair to poor condition.”

“You can increase revenues by lowering costs,” said John Sylvia of the Performance Evaluation of Research Division of the legislative auditor’s office.

But, said turnpike manager Greg Barr, “We’re basically squeezing every drop we can out of every dollar to maintain the road and make it safe and abide by the resolution we passed back in April of last year and focus all of our energies on maintenance and upkeep of the turnpike.”

Given that scenario, it appears all but inevitable that a toll increase is coming.

When? It likely shouldn’t be delayed, but you can expect it probably won’t happen until late this year or early in 2009, after the November election.

How much? Who knows?

With the cost of everything else going up, will the motoring public embrace a toll increase? No. Will they accept it? Probably, especially if it translates into a smoother, safer highway.

Turnpike tolls haven’t been raised since 1981. That was a long time ago. Yes, there was that short-lived hike two years, when the Parkways Authority suddenly and without notice bumped up the tolls, prompting an outcry from motorists and legislators, and ultimately leading a Kanawha County judge to return the tolls to what they were after truckers filed a lawsuit.

But now there is a process in place to consider a request for a toll hike. It’s transparent. There will be public meetings. There will be legislative involvement.

It won’t be popular. But if the turnpike is to keep up with highway standards, which is a must, it appears it will be necessary.