The Wyoming Transportation Committee is considering a proposal that would implement a toll on I-80 in an effort to keep the road open more often during the winter months.

Sen. Michael Von Flatern, R-Gillette, chairman of the Transportation Committee, told the Gillette News Record that the effort to charge a toll on the Interstate is driven in part by the fact that some portion of it was closed nearly every day this winter because of weather.

Flatern said the committee would also use the funds to potentially add a third lane on each side of the Interstate that would be used by cars and passenger vehicles only.

The proposal would toll only out-of-state drivers.  The state estimates that 80-85% of all traffic on I-80 is from non-resident drivers.  The tolls charged to Wyoming residents would be paid through the State’s Federal Mineral Royalties.

Wednesday morning during the Weekday Wake-up on SVI Radio (Swift 98.7 FM & The Spur), Duke and Dahl asked listeners if they would be in favor or apposed to such a toll.  Here are their responses.

In Favor

“Yes a toll is a great idea but all should pay including Wyoming residents.”

“If one pays, all pay.”

“Absolutely! Other states receive funding this way. Good idea!”

“Yes! That would make that commute so much better!”

“Bring on a reasonable toll. It’d be great to increase our resources to keep roads open during winters.”

“I am for a toll tax.  If people want to use the roads they should help maintain them.”

Opposed

“No bad idea! Prices of shipping products will go up. Just have more drug enforcement induced and stiffer fines implemented.”

“No toll on I-80. That’s not the way we do things around here.”

“A toll charge would never work. If you look throughout the nation at all the current toll roads they are all in heavily populated areas. For the toll on I-80 to be effective you would have to charge outrageous fees as well as charging every prong horn antelope who crosses the interstate. Good luck with that.”

“No it’s never a good idea. Then you hurt the truckers. It cost them more to get whatever they are hauling to us. And then we pay that when we go to the store and buy. So then we are the ones hurt. So NO it is not a good idea.”

“I think this is a non-starter. Sure it would be great to have a third lane and extra money for maintenance but this is never going to go through.”

“No no no.”

Undecided

“I’m  in-different for I-80. How about a toll on the south end for non residents.”

“If I’m not mistaken a lot of the snow closures were due to wind. How will the tow stop the wind so i’m kinda in the middle this one.”