It looks like we’re in for another round of public debate over the Ohio River Bridges Project, only this time it appears that the pieces are in place to start raising money through tolls on existing local bridges.
Joe Reagan, president of GLI, sent out an invitation to the public this morning for a Wednesday press conference to generate public support for creating a public authority with oversight over the funding of any bridge project. That would likely include tolls.
But wait. The Metro Council may have something to say about it. Even as David Tandy and Kevin Kramer submitted a resolution for first reading at Thursday’s Council meeting that supports creating the authority, members Tina Ward-Pugh and Tom Owen authored a rival document arguing for public debate and participation.
“The only thing standing betweeen where we are and tolls on the Sherman-Minton Bridge is the Metro Council,” Owen said. “I believe the state intended to include residents in the process.”
Owen said the Tandy-Kramer proposal would be no more than a rubber stamp from the Council, allowing the authority to be created with input on its membership from the Mayor, with approval required from the Council. That doesn’t seem to include any opportunity for public input.
Tyler Allen, head of 8664.org, which supports only an East End Bridge, says the project hasn’t been properly vetted by the public and is hopeful the Metro Council will hold more public discussions.
He added that the legislation passed by the state came very close to cutting the Council’s role entirely. Allen said that in Frankfort, Ed Glasscok of the Build the Bridges Coalition, pushed for a version of law that required only the Mayor’s input on the makeup of the authority. But the provision, he said, was changed in the Senate to allow for the Metro Council to participate.
“We need to have some debate on this within the Metro Council. This is a major decision,” he said.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Carter Burger // Jul 13, 2009 at 4:16 pm
How do these clowns propose collecting the toll on the Sherman-Minton? I have an idea, however you haven’t seen anything yet that the backup would be if they started putting toll gates to cross the bridge. And unless they also propose to collect tolls on the Kennedy and 2nd street bridge, folks (including me) will simply go around it.
This is going to be a major swine fornication before it’s all over with.
2 KYGuy // Jul 13, 2009 at 4:25 pm
There are ways to do it electronically.
3 davidrc // Jul 13, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Neither new bridge will ever be built. Louisville lost its chance when Yarmuth was elected.
4 Carter Burger // Jul 13, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Electronically for people who regularly use the bridge. What about itinerant users?
5 Not Anne Northup // Jul 13, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I told you Yarmuth would screw it up.
6 Jeff // Jul 13, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Start paying tolls on existing bridges in order to fund future bridges? Would this include the River Road bridge over Harrods Creek?
7 Bruce Maples // Jul 13, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Tolls for walkers? How about bike riders? How about tolls on 264 and 265?
I’VE GOT IT!! We’ll put a toll on Ring Road!
8 Chuck // Jul 14, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Stupid ideas like collecting bridge tolls on major interstate highway systems that are vital to this regional economy isn’t the way to go. Maybe if they would cut out the pork of the KY budget and pay their honest debts it would work out. Tell the swine from Burkesville that maybe he should have supported gaming for that and other reasons. That and stop blaming Louisville for his political problems and the fact that his cohorts in the Kentucky House and Senate are some of the most Boss Tweed figures around. A bunch of drooling fools that would rather see this region fail than improve the economy. Must be a stupidity thing downstate. After all, who is going to pay their welfare checks when the Louisville area keeps losing jobs and going downhill economically and socially.
Sometimes I think this area would do well to secede from Kentucky and be its own state or even because part of Hoosierland because at least their state government understand that excessive taxes and waste is a burden on economic productivity.
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