Privatization of Higways and Roads

[427Z06]

What I'd like to know is, if many more people are driving many more miles, where's all the tax revenue going? What was the tax rate on a gallon of fuel when we built the interstate system? Now with present tax rate and the amount of consumption, we can no longer afford to build roads?

I having a feeling we're about to be fleeced...again.

Remember when Enron promised Californians they would benefit from the privatization of their electric industry? Do Californians feel like the privatization of their electric industry saved them a bunch of money?

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

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It would be cool to have an Autobahn here in the USA though.

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Us Americans couldn't handle having an Autobahn, no way.
Too many people on cell phones, putting on make-up, eating, etc... Not to mention the general lack of driving skill the average American driver has.

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Speak for yerself, Newbie. You have no idea what you're talking about. Sell THAT fertilizer to France, wouldja? You make most here sick when you say know-nothing craaaap like that. Besides, the mutts with that opinion already got smoked on THAT argument by every statistical measure..

 

[nyr197]

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It would be cool to have an Autobahn here in the USA though.

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Us Americans couldn't handle having an Autobahn, no way.
Too many people on cell phones, putting on make-up, eating, etc... Not to mention the general lack of driving skill the average American driver has.

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Speak for yerself, Newbie. You have no idea what you're talking about. Sell THAT fertilizer to France, wouldja? You make most here sick when you say know-nothing craaaap like that. Besides, the mutts with that opinion already got smoked on THAT argument by every statistical measure..

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You gotta be kidding me. You actually believe that the overwhelming majority of drivers in the United States would be able to handle a high speed expressway?
The use of hand held cell phones is not banned in the United States, my friend.
In Germany and Austria... You guessed it.. It is banned.

This is a country where warnings need to be printed on cups of hot coffee.. And we're ready for high speed driving? Give me a break.

Next.

 

[Drew99GT]

Now now boys. We're just spewing a bunch of #@$%!. Everything is really OK. Don't look here, nothing to see here. 1...2...3.............USA.....USA......Hurray!!!

 

[brianl703]

Driving on the Autobahn seems a lot safer to me than driving in Northern Virginia traffic.

The problem with many drivers here is that they have no clue how to drive and they're not learning anything good by watching others on the road.

Drive on the Autobahn and it's pretty obvious what you're supposed to do.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

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It would be cool to have an Autobahn here in the USA though.

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Us Americans couldn't handle having an Autobahn, no way.
Too many people on cell phones, putting on make-up, eating, etc... Not to mention the general lack of driving skill the average American driver has.

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Speak for yerself, Newbie. You have no idea what you're talking about. Sell THAT fertilizer to France, wouldja? You make most here sick when you say know-nothing craaaap like that. Besides, the mutts with that opinion already got smoked on THAT argument by every statistical measure..

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You gotta be kidding me. You actually believe that the overwhelming majority of drivers in the United States would be able to handle a high speed expressway?
The use of hand held cell phones is not banned in the United States, my friend.
In Germany and Austria... You guessed it.. It is banned.

This is a country where warnings need to be printed on cups of hot coffee.. And we're ready for high speed driving? Give me a break.

Next.

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Tell it to Grandma Nancy Pelosi, wouldja? You get some weird sense of superiority shee-otting on Americans, do ya? Seen your type in Paris last summer..

Give US ALL a break, Newb..

 

[LouDawg]

Pablo, thank you for being the lone voice of reason in this wilderness of paranoia.

"THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!!!" Pa-lease, people!!! Can we get a grip?

Yep, the Government has proven it is sooooo effective at everything it manages, right? That's what we need is more government control, or at LEAST to keep as much government control as we can, right? I mean, how will we ever get by without all that efficiency and fiscal responsibility that flows from Washington?!

The same people who express panic over this dangerous incursion onto our soil by the dangerous fur-in-ers are the first ones to byotch and moan about their outrageous taxes, wasteful military excursions, excessive government censorship, and ridiculous $1000 hammers.

We're talking about a few roads, folks. We're not talking about sub-contracting our military or letting Iran Air run the FAA.

Give me a break.

Okay, rant over.

 

[JHZR2]

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It would be cool to have an Autobahn here in the USA though.

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Us Americans couldn't handle having an Autobahn, no way.
Too many people on cell phones, putting on make-up, eating, etc... Not to mention the general lack of driving skill the average American driver has.

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Speak for yerself, Newbie. You have no idea what you're talking about. Sell THAT fertilizer to France, wouldja? You make most here sick when you say know-nothing craaaap like that. Besides, the mutts with that opinion already got smoked on THAT argument by every statistical measure..

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YOU have got to be kidding... you REALLY think thast joe schmoe, tailgating in his suv, one hand on the wheel, the other holding the cellphone is going to be able to handle his vehicle at 100+ MPH?

While I do not deny that there are MANY careful, cognizant drivers out there who act the right way, drive the right way, etc., the average driver is NOT. If you havent seen it, you are not observant on the road.

I dont care to make myself or my fellow countrymen pay for the poor skills and lack of proper training that the average driver has. Unfortunately in the driving world, exercising 'survival of the fittest' by the idiots naturally thinning themselves out can take a LOT of innocents with them...

And, if there are statistical measures that show typical drivers on typical US roads being safe to a super-high level while eating, talking and driving at speeds far beyond the speed limits that are posted, please cite them... If its apples to oranges, then lets fess up and cite lack of REAL data.

JMH

 

[Drew99GT]

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Pablo, thank you for being the lone voice of reason in this wilderness of paranoia.

"THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!!!" Pa-lease, people!!! Can we get a grip?

Yep, the Government has proven it is sooooo effective at everything it manages, right? That's what we need is more government control, or at LEAST to keep as much government control as we can, right? I mean, how will we ever get by without all that efficiency and fiscal responsibility that flows from Washington?!

The same people who express panic over this dangerous incursion onto our soil by the dangerous fur-in-ers are the first ones to byotch and moan about their outrageous taxes, wasteful military excursions, excessive government censorship, and ridiculous $1000 hammers.

We're talking about a few roads, folks. We're not talking about sub-contracting our military or letting Iran Air run the FAA.

Give me a break.

Okay, rant over.

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Nothing to see here people, move along.

Foreign owned toll roads and a four football field wide foreign owned road going through the heart of our country, bypassing customs, unions, and US workers. No debate in Congress and hardly any US citizens know the planning and construction is already underway. Move along people.

 

[nyr197]

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It would be cool to have an Autobahn here in the USA though.

---

Us Americans couldn't handle having an Autobahn, no way.
Too many people on cell phones, putting on make-up, eating, etc... Not to mention the general lack of driving skill the average American driver has.

---

Speak for yerself, Newbie. You have no idea what you're talking about. Sell THAT fertilizer to France, wouldja? You make most here sick when you say know-nothing craaaap like that. Besides, the mutts with that opinion already got smoked on THAT argument by every statistical measure..

---

You gotta be kidding me. You actually believe that the overwhelming majority of drivers in the United States would be able to handle a high speed expressway?
The use of hand held cell phones is not banned in the United States, my friend.
In Germany and Austria... You guessed it.. It is banned.

This is a country where warnings need to be printed on cups of hot coffee.. And we're ready for high speed driving? Give me a break.

Next.

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Tell it to Grandma Nancy Pelosi, wouldja? You get some weird sense of superiority shee-otting on Americans, do ya? Seen your type in Paris last summer..

Give US ALL a break, Newb..

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You really are thick.
If you weren't so fixated on my post count or join-date, maybe you could comprehend the things I'm saying.

So now I'm a card-carrying liberal because I'm a realist and realize that the majority of drivers in the United States are terrible?

I work at a district office of a NJ state senator (who is a republican, mind you)

Quit trying to e-thug me, you look less intelligent with each post of yours.

 

[Drew99GT]

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wasteful military excursions

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You can quote me on that one.

 

[LouDawg]

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Nothing to see here people, move along.

Foreign owned toll roads and a four football field wide foreign owned road going through the heart of our country, bypassing customs, unions, and US workers. No debate in Congress and hardly any US citizens no the planning and construction is already underway. Move along people.

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Bypassing customs? Hogwash.

Bypassing Unions? Good!!

Bypassing U.S. workers? Who do you think will be building and maintaining them?

U.S. citizens unaware? #@$%!, they've been blissfully unaware of most everything for the last three decades. It was QUITE public in Indiana, and there are as many people for it as against it.

How about the tremendous tax savings to the U.S. taxpayers?

Keep charging...Don Quixote would be proud.

 

[LouDawg]

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I work at a district office of a NJ state senator (who is a republican, mind you)

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When you start cleaning in the evenings, do you vacuum or dust first?

 

[nyr197]

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I work at a district office of a NJ state senator (who is a republican, mind you)

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When you start cleaning in the evenings, do you vacuum or dust first?

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Pshh.. The pressurized air cans with the extender straw for the keyboards first.

 

[va3ux]

We've got one like that here in Ontario. Hwy 407.

How does $12.50 for a 60 mile ride grab you.

 

[Drew99GT]

First customs office (a MEXICAN customs office) on the NAFTA highway is Kansas City. Trucks coming from Mexico go right across the border with a speed pass.

"Once complete, the new road will allow containers from the Far East to enter the United States through the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas".

I guess this will end the debate about whether Dubai Ports World should own our ports. We will no longer HAVE any ports!!!

This doesn't give you the least bit of concern???

 

[The_Jeff]

My main problem with toll highways/bridges is:

1) A road is "needed", and a bunch of political hacks join forces and form a turnpike authority.

2) They float bonds that are promised will be paid off in 20 years. The date comes near and there's some huge improvment/maintenance project necessary so the date gets extended indefinately.

3) Their deal with the state is usually (and this happens with semi-public authorities as well as private ventures) that no parallel roads can ever get improved, better speed limits, etc. Like that Orange County fiasco.

Now as far as leasing stuff to third parties, it seems like an accounting trick... my state just proposed/did something with lottery proceeds vs revenues that I don't even understand, that was supposed to provide a cash infusion now at some cost in the future.

 

[brianl703]

The Commonwealth of Virginia has actually removed tollbooths when the bonds were paid off. I forget where, but it was near Richmond.

 

[427Z06]

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Bypassing customs? Hogwash.

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I invite to the borders down here to see how it's really done.

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Bypassing Unions? Good!!.

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Texas is a right to work state.

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Bypassing U.S. workers? Who do you think will be building and maintaining them?

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Illegal aliens hired by contractors.

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U.S. citizens unaware? #@$%!, they've been blissfully unaware of most everything for the last three decades. It was QUITE public in Indiana, and there are as many people for it as against it.

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The number of news stories down here addressing this topic are minimal to the point of being almost none existance. When you see one, it's usally after it's a done deal.

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How about the tremendous tax savings to the U.S. taxpayers?

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That's the problem. We never do see the tax break. Look at the taxes on fuel. They keep on increasing in both rate and total revenue, yet there's always a shortfall. Corrupt politicians and their cronies just invented a new way to ripp-off the public.

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Keep charging...Don Quixote would be proud.

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Yep. Today, you have to be an engaged and participating investment expert, tax expert, insurance expert, and civics expert if you don't want to be robbed blind. If you're lucky, you'll have a little time leftover for your family and career. We've complicated our way right into the equivalent of the tower of bable.

 

[Drew99GT]

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Yep. Today, you have to be an engaged and participating investment expert, tax expert, insurance expert, and civics expert if you don't want to be robbed blind. If you're lucky, you'll have a little time leftover for your family and career. We've complicated our way right into the equivalent of the tower of bable.

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I'd like to buy you a beer sir.