Patrick Jones (Photo via IBTTA)Patrick Jones, executive director & CEO of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), this week pointed to tolling as a solution to traffic congestion.
At the U.S. Travel Association’s Connecting America Through Travel Conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, Jones called on the travel industry to embrace tolling as a means to relieve congestion in the U.S.
Jones said toll revenues are a viable option for addressing challenges with funding the nation’s transportation infrastructure.
“The simple truth is that our roads are never fully paid for and ignoring the transportation funding crisis we have in America doesn’t make it go away,” Jones said. “In fact, it exacerbates the economic problems while congestion continues to grow in many parts of our country.”
“The time has come for our elected leaders and the travel industry as leaders in their communities to more-widely embrace alternative funding options such as user-fees,” he continued. “A user-fee, such as tolling, is a proven funding method that helps cut congestion, drives economic growth and allows communities to keep their transportation funding dollars locally.”
Jones proposed tolling as an option during a panel discussion on federal policies and infrastructure investments with a focus on decreasing congestion and improving highway travel times.
Other panel members included U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and former Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell.
