Proposals for tolled fast lanes on Route 3 are being denounced as “Lexus lanes”: People with money would take the faster journey on the privately built lanes, while those of modest means would be stuck with a free but slower commute on the existing highway. It would be — horrors — a two-tier transportation system.
Actually, we already have a two-tier system. It’s called the MBTA. If you want free, you can walk. But if you want to get somewhere more quickly, you pay. The walk from Government Center to Copley Square is about 25 minutes, says Google Maps. Take the Green Line, however, and it’s just 6 minutes at a cost of $2. Or you can take a short walk to the 55 bus; getting to Copley this way takes about 12 minutes and costs $1.50.
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If they decide to o this, then the commonwealth should run ut, not a private company. The commonwealth has paid for the infrastructure and should be able to reap the benefit. It would help repair roads.
Various nations around the world have been using private companies to build and operate highways, bridges and other infrastructure. If countries that have a reputation for being more left leaning than the US can adopt this approach, why not the US? Do you seriously believe that the MA DOT or the MBTA can do anything cost effectively?
An excellent column by Tom Keane. But be careful, Tom. Your argument that residents of Boston are free to walk to their destination might lead to demands that MBTA fares be eliminated and that the entire MBTA budget be financed by a higher income tax on the one percenters. :)
My, my. Some of you are without a sense of humor today. Are you afraid that the Pats will lose this afternoon?
Why the piecemeal approach? Let's just abandon the principles of the Revolution and reinstitute a monarchy! Public highways, paid for with public funds should serve the entire public, equally. If you want to built a private road and charge what you want, I say go ahead, after all, it once was a common practice in the US, but good luck getting done.
As a matter of fact, many of the early roads in the US were private toll roads. The steamboats on navigable rivers were privately owned and operated as well. Yes, the canals were built by state governments and the railroads received federal land grants but our transportation system has always been a mixture of public and private enterprise.
Wait! Did I just hear of a $2 Billion dollar highways project? Was the estimated cost always 2 Billion dollars? Did it take over 10 years to build? Was it professionally supervised, monitored,and qualility constructed? Will its final cost be north of 22 Billion dollars? Does it kill people? Just gotta know.
It's stupid to compare mass transit with roads. Mass transit improvements help, but roads just fill up again.
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Lexus lanes are a good idea and should have high speed limits.
I actually think tolls are fine if the cost is so high as to discourage driving and sprawl. Alas that's not the case here. Quite the opposite. You can't build your way out of traffic problems.
Govt ctr to Copley in 6 minutes? Sure. Maybe IF there is a train. IF there is no hold for a "schedule adjustment" at Park. If the trains are moving not trundling haltingly ,moving.
Is Keane studying under Jacoby.. Similar rationale for ignorant positions. Let the poor Lexus drivers wait with the rest of us. What a beauty..
Traffic backs up because of the lane drop at Exit 15 and the Lexus Lane won't do anything to fix that.