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medic9016
11-20-2007, 06:29 AM
By Tim Smith
The Greenville News

Columbia -- The federal government has granted South Carolina permission to toll Interstate 95, and the state's transportation agency plans to toll portions of I-26 as well, the state's transportation secretary told The Greenville News on Wednesday.

Drivers on either interstate would only pay a toll, however, if they use newly constructed "hot lanes," added express lanes for those willing to pay, said Buck Limehouse, the state's secretary of transportation.

"We're looking at I-26 for the same thing because that's where all the truck traffic comes up to Greenville," he said. "It's a parking lot right now and it's dangerous."

A spokesman for the agency said later that DOT is only looking at tolling I-26 between Columbia and Charleston.

Limehouse said the agency doesn't plan to move forward with the I-95 tolls until spring and has not yet submitted any paperwork on tolling I-26.

A spokeswoman for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce said the organization supports tolling new interstates or additions.

"It's fine as long as the tolling goes toward the expansion or improvements," said Marcia Purday, a spokeswoman for the Chamber. "We do not support the tolling of existing infrastructure."

No interstates in South Carolina are currently tolled, but the Legislature has approved tolling the proposed I-73 route to Myrtle Beach.

Congestion and safety are the major reasons for looking at tolls, agency officials wrote. I-95 has only four lanes of traffic through almost all of South Carolina, while Georgia has widened I-95 to six lanes along most of the route there.

BigRedDad
11-20-2007, 09:52 AM
I can understand on new lanes for an interstate. NC was trying to do the same thing. However, there are Federal laws prohibiting the toll on an interstate that is already in place without a toll.

BigRedDad
11-20-2007, 09:53 AM
I can understand on new lanes for an interstate. NC was trying to do the same thing. However, there are Federal laws prohibiting the toll on an interstate that is already in place without a toll.