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SOME OFFICIALS FEEL IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER TOLL ROADS IN ARIZONA

MESA -- Some officials say it's time for Arizona to consider building toll roads or setting aside some lanes for drivers willing to pay a fee.

The idea has gained traction as transportation planners, city leaders and developers have come to agree that highway construction has lagged behind explosive growth.

Supporters say toll roads pass the cost of road construction directly to users without raising taxes and that modern collection systems, such as transponders in cars, reduce or eliminate the need for road-clogging toll booths.

Opponents say toll roads would be more affordable for affluent drivers and could amount to double taxation if users in some areas already pay taxes dedicated to transportation.

Mary Peters, a former Federal Highway Administration administrator who now advocates toll roads as an employee of an engineering firm, says her company doesn't think the political climate in Arizona is ready to embrace the concept, but that could change because of money woes.

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