Why do some states have toll roads and others don’t
Last updated on Nov 5, 2024 · 2 minutes
Most roads are built with local, state or federal dollars raised from taxes. Tolls roads only charge (tax) users of the facility. For example, E-470 toll road did not use any tax dollars to fund its construction. Some of the toll roads such as Pennsylvania turnpike were built prior to the construction of tax-dollar based interstate highway system and remain in places.
States and cities now construct managed lanes and express lanes using bond financing to provide travel options during peak hours. Therefore, whether the state has a toll road depends on history, current demand for roads, whether the state has tax revenues to build new roads, and whether building toll roads are an option.
Refer to individual US state toll pages to see which states have toll roads and which don’t.
To calculate tolls for trips across any of the states, use Toll Calculator.
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