A section in a wide-ranging measure that’s headed to the House floor allows the state to charge tolls on all Indiana interstate highways, including I-80/94 and I-65.
The bill’s aim is to generate a funding stream to maintain the transportation infrastructure.
House Bill 1461’s author, state Rep. Jim Pressel, a Rolling Prairie Republican, acknowledges tolling and other parts of the lengthy bill he called “37 pages of options,” were meant to be conversation starters.
Gov. Mike Braun hasn’t voiced an opinion on the bill that would tack tolls on Hoosiers driving to work, as well as interstate truckers motoring through Indiana.
A 2017 law gives tolling power to the governor, but former Gov. Eric Holcomb never exercised his authority and it’s remained dormant until now.
The bill allows the Indiana Department of Transportation to submit a request to the federal government for a tolling waiver. The governor would have to approve the request, but no action would be required by lawmakers.
A Legislative Service Agency fiscal review concluded tolls could generate about $4.2 billion in revenue during the first five years of implementation.
Among the bill’s multiple sections, it also requires counties to enact a wheel tax to access grants from the state’s Community Crossings roads program.
Lake and Porter counties are among 37 counties in the state that haven’t passed a wheel tax that covers unincorporated areas. Cities, including Hammond, Gary, Portage and Valparaiso, have passed the tax.
In an interview last month, Pressel said the wheel tax would provide about $350 million in additional revenue for counties to maintain their road infrastructure.
More than 20 witnesses testified on Feb. 10 during the House Roads and Transportation Committee hearing, which ended in a 13-0 vote to advance the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee.
On Thursday, that committee approved it by a 14-9 vote. The deadline for bills to move to the legislature’s other chamber is Feb. 20.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
