House green-lights tolling of all of Indiana’s interstate highways: Report

The Indiana House has approved legislation that could pave the way for tolling on every interstate highway in the state. House Bill 1461, sponsored by Rep. Jim Pressel, removes a restriction requiring new toll roads to be at least 75 miles from existing tollways, giving the governor more flexibility in pursuing tolling options. While a 2017 law already permits the governor to seek federal approval for tolling, former Gov. Eric Holcomb declined to do so. With Gov. Mike Braun yet to state his position on the issue, the prospect of tolling Indiana’s highways remains uncertain. The bill also includes provisions encouraging counties to adopt wheel taxes and requiring townships to allocate excess funds for road projects, reports NWI.com.

According to the Legislative Services Agency, tolling could generate up to $4.2 billion in the first five years and as much as $38.2 billion by 2050, making it the primary new revenue source in Pressel’s road funding plan. However, efforts by Rep. Mike Andrade to exclude Interstate 80/94 from tolling or remove the tolling language entirely were unsuccessful. The bill’s approval comes amid national debates on tolling, with the Biden administration recently blocking New York City’s congestion pricing plan, arguing that charging drivers for roads they already fund is unfair. Whether Indiana will move forward with tolling depends largely on Gov. Braun’s decision and potential federal approval.