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S. 1446

STATUS INFORMATION

Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Senators Grooms, Ryberg, Peeler, Bryant, Verdin, Land, Setzler, Fair, Cleary, Cromer, Williams, Martin, Reese, Mescher, Thomas, Knotts and McConnell
Document Path: l:\s-res\lkg\008i95n.kmm.doc

Introduced in the Senate on May 24, 2006
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Transportation

Summary: Tolling authority

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   5/24/2006  Senate  Introduced SJ-10
   5/24/2006  Senate  Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-10

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

5/24/2006

TO EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S FILING AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SEEKING APPROVAL FOR TOLLING AUTHORITY ON THE PORTION OF INTERSTATE 95 THAT PASSES THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, on June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act which launched the United States Interstate System; and

Whereas, the interstate highway system provides the primary arteries through which flows the lifeblood of our economy; and

Whereas, the interstate highway system provides for our national defense, and are the safest and most efficient roads in the nation; and

Whereas, I-95 is the major North-South commercial and tourist corridor on the East Coast of the United States; and

Whereas, I-95 is of critical importance to South Carolina's economy, particularly its core industries of tourism, manufacturing and distribution, and international commerce; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has filed an Expression of Interest to the U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration seeking tolling authority for Interstate 95; and

Whereas, the tolling of I-95 would interfere with interstate commerce and likely increase the pressure on South Carolina's neighboring states to do the same, igniting a border toll war; and

Whereas, the tolling of I-95 will significantly increase the cost of transporting goods by truck, as it is estimated that at least 30% of revenues would come from commercial trucks; and

Whereas, tolls bring additional congestion, increased safety and air quality problems, and carry unnecessarily high administrative costs; and

Whereas, tolls are proven to create diversion of traffic along parallel roads that were not designed to handle the type and volume of traffic, creating safety hazards and local opposition; and

Whereas, tolls pose a threat to economic development and are unpopular with highway users who consider them not only a nuisance, but another tax on highway use; and

Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly has enacted statutes which specifically prohibit tolling of existing interstates, and which limit tolling and the use of toll revenues; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Trucking Association and the AAA Carolinas, the two primary groups representing the entire highway user community, are united in opposing tolls on existing interstates. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly oppose the South Carolina Department of Transportation Expression of Interest to the U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration to toll Interstate 95.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Transportation, and the members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.

This web page was last updated on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 3:37 P.M.