Businesses Launch Group to Oppose Interstate Highway Tolls
A group of business interests have formed the Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates to advocate against proposals to add tolls to existing interstate highways.
ATFI “is a broad-based organization united by the belief that a viable, sustainable solution to America’s transportation funding needs must not include putting new tolls on existing interstates,” the group said in a Feb. 27 statement.
Members of the alliance represent trucking, restaurants, truck stops, movers, vehicle-rental businesses and others who face higher costs if tolls are expanded.
“We support increased funding for highways but oppose tolls on current federal interstate capacity,” Bill Cranfill, general counsel for Old Dominion Freight Line and member of ATFI, said in the statement. “Tolls are an inefficient method of funding, would increase the cost of moving goods and would decrease efficiency by pushing interstate traffic onto less safe and slower local roads.”
Debates in Congress over long-term funding for transportation infrastructure have brought a new urgency to fighting tolls, ATFI said.
Federal law prohibits new tolls on existing interstates, except for a federal program that could allow tolls on up to three interstate highways. No highways have been approved for that program.
