Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Freeway Tolls Are 1 Suggestion

As the debate continues about the merits of subways, monorails and light-rail lines, other transportation ideas have emerged as alternates to these costly projects. One proposal would require drivers to pay a fee for the use of freeways. In order to reduce congestion, fees would increase during periods of peak use. Such measures, proponents claim, would create incentives for motorists to share rides and avoid freeways during peak periods. Critics argue that user fees would simply force drivers onto surface streets without eliminating traffic congestion.

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Should motorists be required to pay a fee for the use of area freeways?

Walter N. Prince, chairman of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce’s Transportation Committee:

“I’m all for user fees in any way, shape or form. The only problem I see with it is the bottleneck that might occur at the toll booths. User fees would definitely create money and funds to build roads and other things.”

Dr. Sy Cohn, Van Nuys psychotherapist who specializes in the treatment of driving phobias:

“The freeway isn’t really a free road. We pay for it with taxes. There shouldn’t be an added charge. The freeways are very viable to use. They need to be used. There would be a lot of resentment about (user fees). The increased bureaucracy would cost more than it’s worth.”

Ed Edelman, county supervisor and co-chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority:

“I do not support a special levy on freeway users because it represents double taxation. The fact is that all motorists already pay for our roads, freeways and transit programs in a variety of ways--through state and federal gasoline taxes, a full cent of dedicated county sales taxes, vehicle registration and drivers’ license fees. An additional freeway toll would be unfair, unnecessary and a nightmare to administer.”

Robert Krol, professor of economics at Cal State Northridge:

“The whole idea of peak-load pricing is to try to shift the time of day that people drive on the freeway. It will encourage car-pooling. There’s a fairly limited number of alternative surface street routes and they’re already congested. I’m certainly not arguing that we never buy another bus or build another road, but we first must use the existing infrastructure efficiently.”

Bob Giles, operations employee of Van Nuys-based Valley Cab Co.:

“No thanks. That’s why they’re called free ways. We’d just get traffic on the city streets. When it’s a heavy traffic time, it would be great to not have to take city streets. If (user fees) went into effect, cab companies would have to raise the drivers’ leases. Tolls don’t do a damn thing to speed up traffic. It’s still bumper to bumper.”

Fred Ruppert, director of marketing and customer relations for Westchester-based Stardust Limousine Service:

“We’re already being taxed on our highway usage. The profit margin is so narrow that any additional fee is a hardship to us. We are probably $10 below the hourly rates in Chicago, San Francisco and New York. Any additional use tax I’m not real in favor of.”

Mike Kogan, manager of Bob’s Driving and Traffic School in Hollywood:

“They charge people a lot without (user fees). If there will be more charges, companies will move out. I believe that everyone should be able to drive everywhere--street driving or freeway driving. On the freeways it’s safer. The solution cannot be so simple.”