House Rejects Kennedy's Tolls Amendment to Highway Bill

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he House of Representatives Wednesday voted down an amendment to the federal highway bill that would have limited the tolling of the interstate highway system to new capacity only, in favor of the bill’s existing language which allows such projects on a limited basis.

The 265-155 vote rejected the amendment, sponsored by Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.).

American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves had sent a letter to House members on Monday seeking support of Kennedy’s amendment, writing that “tolling existing interstates would have a devastating impact on the trucking industry.”

The highway bill being debated would allow some tolls on three sections of currently untolled sections of the interstate system as part of a pilot program as well as three additional pilot projects to add capacity to the interstate system by using tolls.

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