Tolls still on the table
The Ohio River Bridges Authority will be selecting a method of building the bridges in October, (Read CJ article) but tolls are still on the table unless the Federal Highway Administration intervenes. Please send a message to FHWA representatives below that you are opposed to tolls. Here's a draft message that you can edit to your particular concerns regarding tolls, but please send a message to the Federal Highway Administration representatives list below:
I stand with other members of this community who are opposed to tolls on I-65. Tolls on I-65 will have a negative impact on the local economy. Public comments are 3-1 against tolls on I-65. There are 9 resolutions from all surrounding local councils opposed to tolling I-65. Other resolutions against tolls on I-65 include two from local government associations, Southern Indiana Tourism Bureau, Jeffersonville Main Street Association, statements from Jeffersonville mayor Tom Galligan, and New Albany Mayor Doug England. Over 11,000 people signed petitions opposing tolls on I-65. Those signatures were collected over just 9 weeks.
Bob Tally, (FHWA co-chair) Indiana Division
P: (317) 226-7476
Fax: (317) 226-7341
Jose Sepulveda, Division Administrator, Kentucky Division Office
Federal Highway Administration
330 West Broadway, Room 264
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
P: (502)223-6720
Fax: (502)223-6735
Ray Lahood - Cheryl J Walker/ Special Assistant
Federal Highway Administration
Office of the Federal Highway Administrator
(202) 366-6378
(Illustration is NAC's)
33 comments:
I wonder after today and the closing of I-64 bridge. How would that change. This is why stupid people that hold up progress hurt more than a $1 toll would.
Fuck you Troy Bennett.
Tolls were planned at $3 per crossing and all river crossings were to be tolled and the cost was at $4.1 billion before a bunch of stupid people starting making some noise.
Oh yeah, What Roger said.
$4.1 billion, tolls for decades, and not a dime of it budgeted for the Sherman Minton nor any non-auto alternatives or other local routes save one small Jeffersonville path already planned.
Bennett calls that progress. Genius indeed.
VetteMan,
I've been taking 65 south recently during morning rush hour. Southbound traffic ON the bridge moves fine. It's all the traffic that is trying to go EAST that causes the backups.
With that knowledge, would it not be the smart move(practically & fiscally)to build just the East End Bridge, like most of us have been saying long before tolls were even brought up?
I really don't understand your insistence on building the downtown bridge. It won't do anything to fix hospital curve. The Kennedy has to be fixed and maintained whether the second bridge is built or not. Yeah, it might make it a bit faster but isn't building a 2nd bridge for "a bit faster" a waste of money?
Example, I have complete faith in NA fire department but, you know, a new fire house just a block from my house would speed up the response in case my house catches on fire. It's called diminishing returns.
"...stupid people..."
You ever stop to think that perhaps the people insisting on building the downtown bridge are the ones holding up progress.
We could be an example to the whole country. Cutting waste. Saving money. Actually getting something that makes sense done.
(Man, I'm pretty much a liberal and don't understand why I have to keep teaching so called Republican values to Republicans)
Wow Roger, I knew you where a Dumb Ass and that comment proved it. It took a lot of thinking to come up with FU. :-)
Iam,
I agree the east end bridge should be and should have been built 10 years ago. My point is the people that wanted no tolls at all, even if it means no bridge where to be built, is going to rethink that position today and maybe in the months to come.
Some how some way they will get this fixed and fast I hope. I have friends that own business in downtown NA and they we will suffer because of people like Roger.
Because of little 'ol me? Ah'm all flattered and shiz.
I'll stop now, The Troy. You're leading 2-1, and I wouldn't want to hurt the chances of Think Local to pretend it matters to anyone but you and a handful of deluded 1Si operatives.
And Matt you little ride on Rogers back side, it's not worth my time for me to tell you what I think of you.
3:49 PM
It's funny how folks play the anonymity card to hide the source of the anger, malice and intemperance, and yet the anger, malice and intemperance are still there, anyway, just with a cowardly monicker. Take away the pseudonym, and the VetteMan's got no clothes.
Roger,
Will be glad to show you my anger face to face any time. I would guess your all talk. It's a bitch when your been beaten to the punch. You only have your little blog and a few little friends to make your self feel good.
Dang. I'd plum forgotten about the macho shtick. Too funny.
Glad to keep you in good spirts.
VM,
Then why aren't you pushing for the East End Bridge and against those who are bound and determined to build that unneeded downtown bridge? I don't know you but I would be that you are against the wasteful spending of your tax dollars.
Actually, I'm beginning to think that building the East End bridge and tolling it would not be a bad idea. Might help discourage sprawl while improving traffic flow.
Iamhoosier;
I have had several post on this and other Blogs sting the EE Bridge should be built First and Now. If they must toll it. Their are thousand of people just like me and many more after this past weekend that would be glad to pay a $1 to $3 toll to save a hour or two per day.
FYI. I think and have always thought Toll Suck. It's this mess we are in now is much much worse.
Sorry, but it's just not logical: We're in a mess now, therefore rejecting tolls is to blame for it.
Disagreeing with the ORBP as currently boondoggled is one thing. Failure to maintain infrastructure over a period of decades is something else. Whether tolling a future bridge would have prevented a beam from cracking on the Sherman Minton is science fiction.
Now that their own stubborn braying has created a crisis, it's almost comical watching politicos who've supported ORBP now turn to many of the suggestions made a long time ago by ORBP opponents in order to actually move traffic.
Diverting interstate traffic from Spaghetti Junction; non-interstate routes for local commuters; time-based lane management-- where have we heard all that before?
Hint: not from Stemlerite flunkies.
VM, I don't think that you will find near as many anti toll people if it is just the EE bridge. Tolling areas with businesses that already have "relationships" built up over the years could be catastrophic--as you correctly pointed about your friends' businesses in downtown NA. That's why I suggested that it's not the anti toll crowd that is holding up progress.
I don't run in the same circles with the movers and shakers as you seem to(not a "knock" just reality). Please urge your contacts to drop the downtown bridge. Build the EE bridge and toll it, if necessary. If they are bound and determined to spend extra big bucks, put the savings from not building the downtown bridge into an expedited EE bridge.
I'm sure you know all or more people than I.
I have been saying this to anyone that would listen for 8 plus years that my family has lived in NA. Hell to me there should be talk of a West End I-265 bridge before a new Downtown Bridge. Look how much help that would have been today. If you doubt me ask Horseshoe. If this problem is not fixed soon watch for Horseshoe to start talikg leaving HC.
The problem is the idea of a EE only or first ship has sailed. I don't like it but the Riverfeilds and Anti Toll groups have been working hard to kill this project all together.
Then there are the people that say Build Rail or Use more Buses. That sounds good to the people that think we all work in Downtown or a few tight industry areas. The problem is Louisville is spread out much or more than other city's our size and that system had failed over and over again.
People want their cars to go where and when they want. That also helps support restaurants and shopping that is used at lunch and after work.
My $.02
(Insert smart Ass comments from Rodger, Jeff etc. below)
Wait.....
I will do it for them.
FU Troy.
Ok now we can move on.
VM,
Anti toll people have not been trying to kill the bridges. They are tying to kill the tolling of existing bridges. You are in error on that point. Oh, you might find a few but most are not for killing the entire project. As for the rich East Enders, you have more in common with them than I do. Way out of my league from a $ standpoint.
Why has the ship sailed on building just the EE bridge? The bridgeS authority told us that the project absolutely, positively cannot be changed. Then modified it to, "...without dire consequences". And then--the plan was materially changed. Why not another change? Save the money. Brag to the rest of the country about how we really are fiscally responsible around here.
Surely Mr. Coe can find other places to spread asphalt--thinly.
"Stupid people that hold up progress."
No need for me to insert a smart ass comment, seeing as yours started the ball rolling.
I'll merely point out that if a comprehensive public transport system were in place, as it was 75 years ago in Louisville, commuters could go cheaply and easily to work in concentrated business areas, not just now but always, and do it from any number of park-and-ride lots, then return just as cheaply and easily to pilot their Vettes as phallus extensions to the nearest chain restaurant.
Oops. That was kinda smart-ass. Literacy does that to a fellow.
Iamhoosier said...
"Anti toll people have not been trying to kill the bridges. They are tying to kill the tolling of existing bridges. You are in error on that point. Oh, you might find a few but most are not for killing the entire project. "
Funny all I see are No to Toll Signs. Not (No Tolls on Existing Bridges Signs). I or most of my friends have never been for tolling existing bridges. I've said I don't like the idea of any tolls but over the next few weeks or months I bet a $1 to $3 toll will not look to bad.
Not sure what to take from the;
"As for the rich East Enders, you have more in common with them than I do." comment.
See I won't put my wants ahead of or at the detriment of the needs of others. I will not try to destroy or tarnish a company or a person just because I think thay are wrong or missed guided. Their are good views out there and many of yours I include with that.
Unlike others.
Like I said my wife and I have several friends and know a lot of people that will be hurting because of this problem. I hope they all will make it thur. We should all take this as a opportunely to support local companies. Maybe even more so in downtown New Albany.
"pilot their Vettes as phallus extensions to the nearest chain restaurant."
I have never need my Corvettes to do that but from what I've seen from your comments of envy towards me, maybe you need borrow mine. (Car that is) I don't think you could handle the other. :-)
VM,
I will give you credit for at least coming back and continuing to engage. That's more than some members of the BridgeS Authority and other leaders, official or civic, have done. Mr. Coe engaged here once and then ran and hid.
I acknowledge that you've stated some of these positions before. I do remember that and urge you to continue to tell others your thoughts. The BridgeS Authority is getting ready to make very crucial decisions about this project without all the the information. They say they will still do an economic impact study but need to move ahead. What if the economic impact comes out negative? They will have already moved on. These people are lying to us. They are lying badly. I'm not the sharpest tack in the box but it's as plain as day. They don't care. They don't care about the public comments they received which clearly pointed to a an East End bridge solution with no downtown bridge included. They don't care about the economic impact study. Tolls are a fact but they admit they don't know what they can and can't toll. The downtown bridge needs to killed. Even if it still means tolls on the EE bridge, it needs to be killed. It's a waste of money. Your children's money.
As for the anti toll signs, you can only put so much information on a sign. The majority of the people are sheep. I am too on many issues but not this one. Was against the downtown bridge well before tolls were mentioned. Most people didn't know and didn't care. Tolls gave us, the ones against the boondoggle downtown, our rallying point. The "sheep" finally woke up.
Iamhoosier said..
"I will give you credit for at least coming back and continuing to engage."
Thanks for that. I have and will. I know I'm not liked because I disagree with most on this blog.
The issue to me is the lack of "DOING". If you, me and others would start tomorrow to demand an EE bridge first and now, tell them we don't care if there is a $2 toll on the damn thing, just build it.
Hell, because of not "Doing Something" we are in an emergency now. This is a time to stop fighting and trying to one up each orher and time to start working with together to take down the real problem to a EE bridge, the group River Fields.
All of Southern IN. should rise up and fight this group together and yes some people I know don't know this yet.
We should tell every leader in office on both sides of the river we will come after your job if you don't support a EE bridge NOW.
Republican or Democrat.
"If you, me and others would start tomorrow to demand an EE bridge first and now, tell them we don't care if there is a $2 toll on the damn thing, just build it."
Wow. We agree. and I echo what Mark wrote: Spencer Coe didn't stay five minutes. You're here. That says something.
We found that we pretty much agree on at least one thing. How did we do that? By communicating. By working out our "issues". The BridgeS Authority won't. Jerry Finn, several months ago, wrote on Roger's FB page that his facts were wrong. Roger responded with, "Which facts are wrong, Jerry?" Jerry never answered. Jerry basically did the same thing to me at an anti tolling meeting downtown a few weeks after that episode. I brought some things up to him. Said that he wasn't aware of them and that he would look into it and get back to me. Haven't heard a word from him since.
I don't agree with Roger, Jeff, etc all the time. Obviously, that also means they don't always agree with me. We get along fine. Yes, we share much the same "underpinnings" but we talk. I have some good friends who are very right wing. They are good people but just a bit misguided. :)
I agree, this isn't a Democrat or Republican issue. Never thought it was or should be.
Damn... I thought we found some common ground and then I read a tweet by Matt.
Here you go Matt. Just email me and I will be glad to tell you where my car and I will be, and don't forget your keys.
How about we all agree on just one more thing. ALL of us, at one time or another, have said/written something that may not have been, uh, especially productive to the process.
I'm guilty.
Don't disagree with you.
I do have a issues when someone goes after my wife, kids and yes even my car. ;-)
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