Unbelievable, but I guess inevitable. Utah legislators have finally figured out what the national legislators have long known - never underestimate the stupidity of the American people ... a people ready to believe most anything at any time, even if it is to their detriment. Not only do we have to pay taxes because we work, and not only to we have to pay high gas prices because of the non-action of these people, but now they want us to pay to go to work on roads that we have paid for with taxes past, present and future on gasoline use levels that show no future abatement. I guess if you DO tell the lie long enough and often enough you can have people believe it. Lincoln was wrong, apparently - you can fool all the people all of the time.

2 HOV lanes would be great! We often do not travel in the HOV lane now because some idiot travels the exact same speed ( I am talking about 25mph) or slower than the rest of the congested traffic. If there was a way to pass these slow drivers I am sure more would use the HOV and many more would be willing to pay monthy toll to use it.

Tolling in any form is absurd. There is no reason to pay per use for roadways in this country. It is simply another tax added to an already out of control taxation system. Write your legislatures and tell them THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME! Then use your vote and your voice to ensure that it does not happen. Talk to your neighbors, encourage everyone to speak up and not sit on their rump when important issues come up for discussion and voting.

when people go to work? Bosses set the starting and ending times for workers, how about making some kind of incentive for business owners to flex their workers hours first. How about starting with state and local municipal workers and allow more flex time and telecommuting. As far as the "Sunday Drivers" in the carpool lane, they are doing the speed limit. When have you ever seen anyone in the carpool lane driving at less than the posted speed limit?

World fuel production has stopped growing. The econoimic clout of other nations is rising relative to ours, allowing them to claim a larger share of the finite pie. The contribution of alternative fuels is going to be disappointing to say the least.

This means we will be driving less. It has already started. US VMT did not grow in 2006, shrank in 2007, and is on track for a record breaking drop in 2008. Killpack and Stephenson and their very good friends in the road building industry would rather you didn't know this. They want to remain in the lucrative business of laying more asphalt regardless of the need, and they need your money to do it with.
People are going to do what they have to do to minimize the pain of fueling thier cars. They will find houses closer to their jobs or jobs closer to their houses. They will pile into vans with their despised coworkers or they will jam into overloaded buses and trains. For those who still can afford to remain in their cars, the existing roads will suddenly seem more spacious. We won't be needing any more of them.

Does it concern anyone else that this scheme requires equipping our cars with electronic identity devices that enable government agencies to track our movements at all times?

This is triple taxation.

We have alreaqdy paid for those roads and seen those dollars squandedred for other uses.

We are paying again for a bunch of trains and mostly poorly used buses that will serve only two people in a hundred. (UTA's market share is predicted to average only 1.8% through 2030--'relative share', latest model runs)

Now comes the 'opportunity' to pay ONE MORE TIME!

The answer is to look at the $17 billion that is being dumped into the UTA stoves to burn on high salaries and perks for UTA managers and better transportation for downtown Salt Lake and tyhe U of U.

Ridesharing is the economical way to keep high adaptability of routing along with low travel time, much lower, according to the Census Bureau, than for mass transit.

If you start sharing a ride with two others, who share gas cost, your effective cost per gallon drops to $1.25!

The end result of congestion pricing? More congestion for the masses, more cars on the arterials, and only the few willing to pay for the privilege will enjoy 'congestion free driving'. This is a ridiculous scam.

This article just proves a major problem with Utah drivers, impatience! Have you ever actually driven the speed limit and noticed all of the drivers flying by you? The best part is when you exit the freeway that driver is right night to you at the light. A lot of good going 80 did you! Why add another lane so people can satisfy their speed hunger? Is it not illegal to speed in the HOV lane? Utah, try to go the speed limit just for one day if not one week. Oh, and learn how to be courteous and let people merge. Seriously, it's retarded legislators like this that should learn how to represent the people.

The worst congestion I have seen is when the highway patrol is out "advertising" or making their presence obvious. No one dares exceed the speed limit and things quickly slow to a crawl. Traffic capacity drops when all the vehicles are compelled to move more slowly.

congestion pricing is something that should be considered. There are several problems that congestion pricing can resolve:

1) Gas tax - the gas tax is used to build roads. The problem is that with more and more efficient vehicles being built, the revenue from the gas tax goes down with more and more vehicles driving per mile.

2) Safety - With many of the business's letting there employees leave work at 5:00 PM, creates major problems with traffic backing onto the freeway due to off-ramps that can't handle the huge surge in traffic (i.e. I-215 South and Redwood Rd for the ramps for eastbound and westbound). For about 45 minutes to 1 hour, both ramps are backed up, and the other 23 hours it is fine. Backing of traffic onto the freeway is a safety concern.

Question for "NO TOLLS 8:30 am May 22"....

Sir/Madame,

You sound so well informed so please offer us a solution (in 100 words or less).

Regards,

Common Sense

Good Lord! Who are these morons that are running this state? With these high gas prices, it already costs an arm and a leg to drive to work...now they want us to pay to drive on the freeway, too? Why don't they come up with alternative transportation like expanding light rail to service people in Utah County? Or give incentives to people who carpool. Stop taxes us to death!

I'm also disgusted, that my gas taxes go to fund I-15 reconstruction and now it's congested. It's a slow, stop and go drive almost every afternoon because too many drivers want on the "free"way during the "rush" hour. Other than congestion pricing, how else to match insatiable demand to the finite supply? Be creative, add your suggestions here. Otherwise, it's going to take a "fee to be free"-flowing.

A few comments, about other's comments.

I'm always one of the slow guys in the carpool lane, ironically at 10 mph over the speed limit.

There is no guarantee that you will not get stuck in traffic, no matter how much money you pay.

Roads cost lots and lots and lots of money... Unfortunately, more money than is being paid at the current tax rate.

Here's a secret: The little white line adjacent to the carpool lane really doesn't stop people from crossing in and out.

Government monitoring cars with electronics outrageous? Ever heard of OnStar?

Congestion will actually not solve itself, in a global sense.

There are 2 HOV lanes... One going south, and one going north.

More flex time for state and local workers? Funny!

Alternative transportation also costs money...

Most of the highway patrolmen that I have seen backing traffic, are still exceeding the speed limit.

Ridesharing would work, but good luck convincing people to do it.

Why not make all lanes HOV lanes, and charge a toll to use them?

There must be a lot of one armed - one legged people out there driving to work.

Lincoln apparantly didn't fool you!

Howard Stephenson: How do you feel about forcing developers to disclose geological hazards- such as fault lines- running under houses under construction to potential buyers?

Answer: I'll fire people who force me to disclose those hazards, that's what I'll do!!

Nice ethics.

A Utah Law Maker elected by the citizens of the State complaining that people are driving the speed limit. He could push to raise the speed limit but NO, he wants to push for a second HOV lane to snarl traffic even more. Why doesn't he push for more and expanded bus, Trax and Front Runner Service. Oh wait I forgot, he is one of the holier than though people who wants to be king on the road. He needs to start doing what is right for Utah. Better yet he needs to he needs to ride off into the sunset never to put a foot into Utah Politics again.

There is a reason they call it a "freeway." This is ludicrous.

Who thought of the white double line and only being able to get in and out at certain areas on the road? I see people crossing over it all the time whether in rush hour or not and it just seems a bit ridiculous!!!!

First of all, they are not proposing turning all of i-15 into a toll road. They are simply suggesting that the carpool lane be accessable at any point if people are willing to pay. Sounds sensible to me.

I pay for a carpool lane pass each month. I don't have a problem with doing so. That being said, I would love to see all of the people who jump into the lane during traffic that are not either carpooling, or paying, or driving in a green energy car have to pay to be in the lane. Just seems like a good idea all around.

Toll roads in general will become a reality in Utah within the next few years. The reason is that roads cost money and nobody wants to pay more taxes so the road will be financed by those who actually use it...makes sense to me.

Also, keep in mind that as people begin to drive less and/or drive fuel efficient cars, this creates a situation where less fuel is being sold. Since fuel is taxed by the gallon and not price, less fuel being consumed means less money for roads. Where will the money come from?

If they are going to tax for driving on I-15 to decrease the "congestion," that means the city streets will likely become more congested. So will they then tax for "congestion" on the city streets too? I just moved away from SLC and was planning to come back, but now it seems as I made a better decision in leaving. Apparently the "family state" is really the "greedy want all your money state." I'm so disappointed and hope the stupidity doesn't follow to other states that are actually concerned about their citizens. What is this world coming to when you make a MEAGER minimum wage, spend it on rising food, rent, gas, etc. and now the state you are in wants to tax you for GETTING to work. Sounds a bit Communistic to me! Will they be handing out toilet paper as well?

Congestion is actually worse on Satudays