Torrey,
One answer you/we might get is that gasoline taxes pay for roads, so since bicyclists
don't use gasoline, they need to pay for using their roads in different ways. This,
of course, raises several issues: is the fact that bicycling is a form of
transportation that doesn't pollute, cause global warming, etc., by itself a form of
"payment" for the roads (costs avoided, etc.)? In addition, gasoline taxes generally
do not pay for local roads and maintenance thereof. As has been posted on this list
numerous times over the years, if motorists had to pay for the true cost of driving
(including such things as pollution-induced illnesses, gasoline would cost over $15 a
gallon.
The other bogus argument you'll hear is that these are primarily recreational trails,
used for fun, not for transportation. To be consistent, does that mean that any time
a motorist go for a recreational ride, (s)he pays tolls or higher gas taxes? Of
course not, so bogus argument #2 falls away. To the extent that families load up the
UAV and drive to the trailheads, charge people for parking their global warmers in the
parking lot.
If the DOT gave a minuscule portion of 1% of its highway fund to DNR to maintain these
unpaved (and frequently unrideable) trails, DNR would not have a budget hole for the
trails. (And if you knocked out of the DNR budget the costs of the urban assault
vehicles DNR troopers use to blast down the trails and terrorize bicyclists, costs
would be lower as well.)
And back to the Cap City Trail, although it does seem to be to some extent a trail
that goes nowhere quick, i.e., mostly going perpendicular to most destinations, it is
used for commuting. It would be truly ironic if that darling of the
environmentalists, Kathleen Falk, argued for charging a toll for bicycling commuters
and not for the global warming ice cap melters.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Torrey Nelson [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 9:39 PM
> To: Arthur Ross
> Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Capital City Trail Fee?
>
> Why is it, that the only toll ways in Wisconsin are bike routes? It would
> seem that it would be more efficient to collect tolls for divided limited
> access highways. The traffic is continuous and tolls could be collected at
> the entry points. Enforcement of tolls on bikeways is very difficult. The
> trails have many access points and it is very expensive to hire someone to
> patrol a trail, only to collect a few tolls. On a highway, tolls are
> collected almost continuously so the employees wage is easily paid for. You
> cannot hire someone full time to collect tolls on a bikeway and still come
> out ahead. Yes, you can have a self pay box at the trail head, but most
> people won't pay. Or, they will see the box and bike elsewhere.
>
> Put me down as against bike toll ways.
>
> As for toll ways for cars, I'm all for them. I drive too, because it is too
> easy. Gas is cheap. Parking is usually free. The roads are free. I feel a
> little guilty because I'm destroying the planet, but I have stuff to do and
> places to be. However, I can bike too. So, if driving became expensive I
> would derive great joy in seeing that jerk in the SUV pay and pay. I like
> to bike.
>
> We shouldn't feel obligated to pay for a nice trail in tolls (aka fees).
> That is what taxes are for. Heck, even the Tenney lock is free. Why do the
> bikes always have to pay?
>
> Torrey
>
>
