Public responds to possibility of tolling Ohio bridges

The police presence turned out to be all for show, but that did not stop opponents of a plan to toll Ohio River bridges from blowing the whistle on what they believe is an unfair tax.

Members of the Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority met with the public at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., on Dec. 14 to gather feedback on a plan that may involve the tolling of all new and existing bridges in the region. A second option would exclude a toll on the Clark Memorial Bridge. At stake are the construction of two new bridges and the rework of Spaghetti Junction. Currently, the authority is unclear on how to finance the projects.

The authority received approximately 300 comments on the proposed solutions, and also will have to receive approval from the Federal Highway Administration if it does decide to toll. The financial plan, which does not reveal how much motorists will be charged, will seek approval from the authority on Dec. 16. In the meantime consultants plan to evaluate the effects of high-speed tolling.