- Virginia express toll lanes expansion plan
- North Carolina resolves I-77 problem
- Mobile River Bridge under way in Alabama
- Florida Turnpike “reform” proposal
- Brightline Florida bankruptcy filing
- Is in-road EV charging feasible?
- What our grandchildren will have to pay for
- News Notes
- Quotable Quotes
Huge Expansion Plan for Virginia I-95 Express Toll Lanes
Public Works Financing reported that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban are planning a major expansion of the I-95 express toll lanes south of the I-495 Beltway. Transurban says the plan will increase the lanes’ capacity by 140 percent. The expansion plan will convert the system from being reversible (in the peak direction) to being bi-directional over its entire length. It would also add 10 more miles by extending its southern terminus from US 17 to the Spotsylvania Parkway.
Scott McCaffrey, writing in FFX Now (Fairfax County local news), reported a recent comment by Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, characterizing the original reversible lanes as “probably the biggest mistake ever made in Virginia’s Interstate highway system.”
Transurban was VDOT’s original design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) partner to develop and operate the express toll lanes (ETLs), and its concession agreement with VDOT gives it first priority for additions/expansions of this facility.
For commuters and other users, the big benefit will be that the entire express toll lanes corridor will be bi-directional. Fortunately, there appears to be sufficient right-of-way in the I-95 median to enable the transition to bi-directional express lane travel. The $4.5 billion project will more than double the capacity of the express lanes system—a major benefit for commuters and express bus passengers. The expansion will change the configuration of lanes in the median, from three reversible ETLs to three ETLs each way.
Originally, Transurban owned 100% of this ETL concession. In 2020, it sold 50% of its interest in the concession to a consortium of pension-fund infrastructure investors. Its members include (per Public Works Financing) AusSuper, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), and UniSuper.
North Carolina I-77 Express Toll Lanes Moving Forward
After several months of debate by officials in Charlotte and other municipalities, the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) voted 64-5 on Sept. 23 to go forward with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) plan to add express toll lanes on 11 miles of I-77 between downtown Charlotte and the South Carolina border.
A key factor in the renewed support was the Charlotte City Council reversing its previous opposition to the project. In a 7-4 vote last month, the council approved the project and directed its delegate on the CRTPO board to vote in favor. One factor in the renewed support was NCDOT’s pledge to supplement its investment in the project with at least $300 million in community benefits in impacted communities, which the state guaranteed via a binding memorandum of agreement.
Another reason for the renewed support was a state budget provision, enacted in July, that would require any local jurisdiction that voted to rescind its previous support for the project to repay NCDOT for the $69 million it had already spent on the project, which was included in the agency’s approved work plan. CRTPO approved a public-private partnership (P3) funding plan for the project in 2024.
These developments appear to clear the way for NCDOT to resume its P3 process for a private consortium to bid for a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) concession for the I-77 new express toll lanes. The renewed NC support for the project will also encourage South Carolina DOT and legislators to continue working on plans for adding comparable express toll lanes on I-77 in that state, as reported in the May 2026 issue of this newsletter. That article reported South Carolina legislators’ interest in express toll locations, including on I-77 at the North Carolina border. The legislators are also interested in adding “choice lanes” on highways such as I-526 in Charleston and in the Lowcountry region.
Alabama DOT Begins Mobile River Bridge
The Alabama Department of Transportation has completed financing the first phase of the long-planned Mobile River Bridge. Unlike an earlier plan, this will not be a toll-financed public-private partnership project, but despite previous opposition to tolling, the new bridge will be largely toll-financed. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) prevailed over anti-toll officials and residents, with the initial $3.2 billion phase 1 to start construction this month.
The financing package includes a $2.52 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan, a $550 million Bridge Investment Program grant, a $125 million INFRA grant, and the balance from ALDOT. Toll revenue will be used to pay back the TIFIA loan and ALDOT’s investment. This “phase 1” of the eventually larger project will build the new Mobile River Bridge and re-stripe the parallel Bayway to three lanes in each direction.
The original plan for this project, which was covered in this newsletter, was for a toll-financed public-private partnership bridge project. Both the P3 idea and tolling led to considerable opposition, which delayed plans for the bridge’s construction. While P3 opponents won, there was no feasible way to finance the project without toll revenue.
Given the prior opposition to tolling, ALDOT is offering a set of options. Those with an ALGO pass transponder will pay $3 per trip or a monthly charge of $60. Those with an alternative transponder (such as E-ZPass) will pay $7.70 per trip. Those using the bridge infrequently can opt for pay-by-plate at $15.40 per crossing. (Pay-by-plate has much higher collection costs.)
The parallel Bayway is not currently tolled and will be re-striped to six lanes (from four) in phase 1. In phase 2, it will be replaced, with construction tentatively beginning in 2036. Once that is completed, the new Bayway will also be tolled. After that, there will still be four non-tolled crossings of the river: the existing Bankhead and Wallace Tunnels, the Africatown Bridge, and the US90/98 Causeway.
Needless to say, there are still populist tolling opponents. State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Baldwin) has proposed allowing Alabama residents to claim a state tax credit for the tolls they pay each year. Oddly, the senator proposes offsetting the budgetary cost of those tax credits with funds from the Education Trust Fund.
$20 Billion Turnpike Expansion But No Tolls?
Here’s how to be a popular lame-duck governor. Promise a (much-needed) $20 billion widening of the state’s major toll road, but eliminate long-standing tolls for state residents and charge only tourists for using the facility.
This is an actual proposal in Florida. As one of the country’s fastest-growing states, as well as still being a big tourist destination, Florida’s Turnpike (linking Miami with Orlando and I-75 further north) is under way on a $20 billion widening. As an occasional user of the Turnpike between Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, my recent trips have passed through half a dozen widening projects. The Turnpike is well-run, and its revenue bonds have an AA rating.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is nearing the end of his second and final term. Last month DeSantis told reporters, “I would love to be able to extinguish the tolls on the Turnpike. I would still want to charge the tourists, but not the Florida residents.” He admitted that he doesn’t know how the state could do that, but he said it is something that would have to be worked out by his successor.
In a quick online search, I was unable to find out what fraction of the Turnpike’s $1.4 billion annual toll revenue comes from out-of-state motorists and trucks, but let’s generously assume it’s half. Were tolls to be eliminated for state residents, to keep the Turnpike well-maintained and able to continue growing, toll rates for tourists in Florida would have to double. That would likely lead to some reduction in tourism via automobile and some degree of shifting from driving to flying for visitors to the state.
I grew up in south Florida, and I remember when the first phase of the Turnpike opened in 1957. It was exciting to drive nonstop from the outskirts of Miami about half the way to our favorite vacation spot on the Indian River midway up the state. There were no Interstates in Florida at that point, so the Turnpike was a huge improvement over driving slow U.S. 1 through cities and towns to get to our vacation area.
Florida’s Turnpike was one of several long-distance limited-access toll roads that pre-dated the Interstate highways. A number of those early state toll roads became part of the Interstate system, but Florida’s Turnpike did not, because it was not part of the federal government’s map of the planned Interstate system.
I’m glad to see the full length of the Turnpike being widened to three lanes each way, minimum. Making only tourists pay to use it would be a big mistake.
Brightline Florida Files Chapter 11
Last month, Brightline Florida filed for bankruptcy. As Bond Buyer noted, “a pre-arranged restructuring support agreement leaves the operating company, Brightline Trains Florida LLC, out of the bankruptcy, allowing the train to continue to operate.” As I write this, the trains are still operating, although Fitch Ratings downgraded Brightline’s private activity bonds from CC to C.
This is likely the end of what I thought, at the outset, was likely a niche market where a carefully designed passenger rail business plan might be viable. It looked as if Brightline had found a sweet spot for hassle-free travel between South Florida (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach) and Orlando.
Prior to Brightline Florida’s launch, a transportation friend sought me out for an advance briefing, and he also put me in touch with the fledgling company’s traffic and revenue analyst, whose briefing persuaded me that the company seemed to know how to plan a new transportation venture.
Prior to the start of revenue service, I was one of a number of journalists and researchers getting a demonstration trip between Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. And when the link between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami opened, my wife and I took a trip to Miami and back, just to try it out. Several times, when I needed to go to Orlando for a conference, I took Brightline because it was less hassle than driving to Miami to take a short flight or spending four hours getting there by car. Again, it seemed to be a sweet spot for this trip. My only bad experience was on a return trip from Orlando, when the train I was on stopped just after turning south on the FEC mainline, due to an accident just ahead. We waited 45 minutes or more while that accident was documented and cleared from the tracks.
During its first few years, I wrote several articles for Florida publications and gave a few presentations here in Florida explaining why I thought this new venture might succeed (though caveating that I would not invest in it due to its likely risk level). But the reality is that not enough people found the benefits of taking Brightline rather than driving or flying to be their best alternative. I doubt if Brightline Florida will survive, despite its utility for me as a traveler.
Is In-Road EV Charging Feasible?
By Marc Scribner
Earlier this year, Roads & Bridges magazine examined wireless roadway charging research projects underway in Michigan and Utah. And days ago, Reuters reported that Honda Motor Company developed its own in-road charging technology and planned to test it on a Japanese highway next year. In-road electric vehicle (EV) charging—also known as dynamic wireless charging—has generated a lot of buzz in recent years. While it makes for interesting engineering conversation, proponents of in-road EV charging have yet to make a plausible economic case.
The appeal of dynamic wireless charging is understandable. Both the lack of charging infrastructure and the long time periods to charge EV batteries (compared to conventional fueling) are widely viewed as contributing to “range anxiety” and a diminished appetite for EVs. Allowing EVs to charge in motion during normal trips would solve those problems and presumably make electrification of the automotive fleet more rapid and complete.
Proposed in-road wireless EV charging schemes may use a variety of technologies but generally involve installing inductive coils below pavement. These technologies have been closely examined for years in the European Union, which has adopted a much more aggressive vehicle electrification posture than the United States.
Nearly a decade ago, technology giant Qualcomm partnered with Renault to demonstrate Qualcomm’s Halo wireless charging system on a test track outside Paris with EVs successfully charging while traveling at up to 62 miles per hour. This was part of the European Union’s FABRIC project, which concluded in 2018. Qualcomm sold its Halo technology to WiTricity the following year, and WiTricity has since shifted its attention to stationary wireless charging pads for golf carts and industrial equipment.
Research into dynamic wireless charging continued in Europe, including as part of the EU’s INCIT-EV project. INCIT-EV’s 2024 life cycle cost analysis report reached the following conclusions:
- Operating and maintenance costs for current technologies are very high and “any service interruption will greatly affect profitability.” Due to the coils being underground, making access and repair more difficult, any problems will disrupt normal traffic operations.
- Obtaining sufficient charging at high speeds requires vehicles to remain in the corridor for a sufficient distance (at least 25 kilometers).
- “Without a significant number of cars using the corridor daily, the installation will hardly be profitable as copper prices are rising due to high demand for electrical systems and are expected to continue.”
- A major case for dynamic wireless charging is the ability to reduce vehicle battery size. But it is unclear if consumers and commercial users value the savings from reduced battery size more than sacrificing the “autonomy” to operate between charges. Optimizing vehicle batteries for dynamic wireless charging could worsen the “range anxiety [that] remains a major factor in decision-making for transitioning to electric vehicles.”
More recently, with those acknowledged challenges as well as improvements in battery technology and stationary fast-charging infrastructure, European attention has shifted away from dynamic wireless charging.
In a paper titled “Institutional Barriers to Dynamic Truck Charging” that was published earlier this year in Transportation Research Part D, the authors examined “why electric road systems struggle in Europe.” The authors found that those who participated in early testing tended not to continue involvement following the conclusion of initial pilots. Changes in government leadership and budget considerations also played a major role in Europe’s waning interest in dynamic wireless charging.
The central role of sustained government support in the potential success of roadway electrification also raises trust concerns. Designing vehicles around dynamic wireless charging was viewed as “riskier for vehicle manufacturers because they relied on government to initiate the roll-out and ensure a sufficiently large network, whereas stationary charging could be built up more gradually and directly by vehicle manufacturers.”
This gets at the heart of the economic feasibility question for dynamic wireless charging: it may be fundamentally incompatible with a market economy. Most European leaders, according to the authors, had hoped that government would seed research and development and then let the private sector commercialize the concept. This idea, “rooted in neo-liberalism,” according to the authors, “clashes with the build-up” of wireless dynamic charging that will depend on large government subsidies for the initial network. When the private-sector investment failed to follow the initial pilots, many public officials moved on.
Returning to the United States, as state DOTs struggle to maintain and modernize their existing highway networks, and the federal government faces a looming fiscal crisis, costly and speculative roadway add-ons are likely to take a back seat to practical realities. Research will surely continue as long as it is funded, but it is safe to say that in-road EV charging will not be materializing anytime soon, if ever.
What Our Grandchildren Will Have to Pay For
Jeff Davis of the Eno Center for Transportation knows more about U.S. transportation data than anyone else I know. So when he makes estimates about federal transportation spending, it’s wise to pay attention. On Oct. 2, Eno released a short news item that Davis wrote, “CBO Releases Full Cost Estimate of House Surface [Transportation] Bill.”
In the article, Davis lays out Congressional Budget Office projections of Total Federal Highway Trust Fund Contract Authority (in billions) from Fiscal Year 2027 through FY 2036. The numbers are for only the Highway Trust Fund and (new) electric vehicle fees from a bill in the House. “The net of all this is that enactment of HR. 8870 with the [new EV] registration fees intact and deposited in the Highway Trust Fund, would make the Trust Fund’s insolvency $13 billion worse, needing $149 billion over five years [which gets us to FY 2031 when Social Security is about to go insolvent]”.
After discussing a few more complications, Davis concludes with the following terrifying conclusion:
“By their count, the House bill authorizes $579.2 billion in spending subject to appropriation, out of the General Fund primarily over the next five years. If the appropriations Committees were to appropriate every dime of it (which they never do), CBO says that $334 billion of that would be spent out of the Treasury via outlays over that time period.”
And this, alas, is how the U.S. government becomes insolvent.
Tennessee’s First Express Toll Lanes Reach Commercial Close
Infralogic (Oct. 1) reported that a public-private partnership consortium led by Ferrovial has reached agreement on terms and conditions for a 50-year P3 concession to add express toll lanes on I-25. The consortium will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain (DBFOM) the express lanes under contract to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
One-Third of States Cut Highway Funding
In the guise of “cutting taxes,” about one-third of all states are reducing highway funding by suspending their per-gallon fuel taxes. Per ABC News, among the culprits are Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Utah (so far). To the best of my knowledge, no toll roads have suspended toll collection. Think about why this different behavior exists.
Untimely Grant for Bankrupt Brightline Florida
With Brightline Florida on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, the Federal Railroad Administration on Aug. 15 announced the award of a $57.5 million grant for a Brightline station in Cocoa, Florida. The funds came from the Federal Railroad Administration’s National Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. That station was budgeted at $80 million, but is now unlikely to be built.
Legislators Go After License Plate Flippers
The OOIDA Drive newsletter reported that a growing number of state legislatures are passing new laws against equipment that flips or obscures license plates to avoid the vehicle being billed for tolls. Wisconsin’s new law includes a fine of up to $1,000 and a potential 90-day jail term. Other states with recent legislation along these lines include California, Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Geely Unveils Super-fast EV Charging
The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese auto company Geely has developed an EV battery that can be recharged in under five minutes. Similar fast-charging mechanisms are being developed by other China-based EV makers.
Drivers “Detest” Giant Dashboard Touchscreens
Victor Tangermann reported on Futurism.com that “increasingly enormous” touchscreens are very unpopular with drivers. He cites a JD Power survey that found one-third of the 68,000 owners surveyed have not even tried to use such screens. Out of 40 relatively recent features in new cars, touchscreens ranked last in popularity and use.
O’Hare Flyer Seeks Federal Loan
Bond Buyer’s Caitlin Devitt reported that the planned nonstop train between downtown Chicago and O’Hare Airport is planned as a public-private partnership. Like many P3 express toll lane projects, it will seek some support from a federal loan program, TIFIA, managed by U.S. DOT’s Build America Bureau. As discussed in last month’s issue of this newsletter, the Flyer aims to provide nonstop 15-minute trips between the Loop and O’Hare.
All-Electronic Tolling Urged by NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board last month urged toll facility operators to eliminate cash options in response to a collision between a truck and an SUV, when the latter made a last-minute dash across traffic lanes to reach a cash-only lane, leading to a deadly collision with a heavy truck. All-electronic tolling would have prevented such last-minute maneuvers.
Hampton Roads Expanding Express Lanes Network
Federal, state, and local officials took part last month in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Norfolk segment 1B of the region’s growing express toll lanes network. The new segment will add express toll lane miles along I-64 in Norfolk, VA. The $389 million design-build contract was awarded in early 2026.
Transurban Buying Sydney, Australia Toll Road Concessions
In a transaction valued at A$4.5 billion, Transurban has acquired the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPPIB’s) interest in two Australian toll road concessions. The acquired stakes are in NorthWestern Roads Group (NWRG) and Sydney Transport Partners (STP). NWRG owns the concessions of Westlink M7 and North Connex, while STP owns the West Connex concession.
Florida County Considers Tolls for Unfinished Parkway
Brevard County, Florida commissioners have approved a toll feasibility study for the completion of St. Johns Heritage Parkway between West Melbourne and I-95. The Central Florida Expressway Authority will conduct the study.
Panama Plans $1.6 Billion Reservoir for the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal Authority is seeking a firm to deal with project management, engineering, and construction services for the planned Rio Indio Reservoir. The project will include a dam, artificial lake, and 5.2-mile transfer tunnel to Lake Gatun, which provides water for the Panama Canal. The plans call for using a tunnel boring machine for the tunnel. Heavy traffic in the Canal has led to per-ship fees of up to $5 million this year.
“Solar Cars Don’t Make Sense”
That’s the title of a recent piece by Andrew Miller on his Changing Lanes blog. He carefully explains how small the energy produced by solar panels is, compared to what is needed to power a car. That should debunk grandiose visions from those with little understanding of energy and power when it comes to automobiles.
Auto Companies Turning to Hybrids
The Wall Street Journal reported that auto companies including Ford, Hyundai, and Stellantis are planning U.S. rollouts of “extended-range EVs.” They define this as an EV with a small gasoline engine to recharge the battery (but not to power the vehicle).
PrePass and Kodiak Collaborate on Driverless Trucks
PrePass, the company that enables trucks to bypass weigh stations, and driverless truck company Kodiak AI, have linked up to enable driverless Kodiak trucks to interface with state vehicle inspection systems. The initial implementation is taking place in Louisiana and Texas.
New Information on Cellphones and Crashes
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that cellphones were in use just prior to crashes in far more cases than are shown in police reports. IIHS used data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics, which found that drivers enrolled in safe-driving programs used their phones in the 30 seconds before the crash in 7% of single-vehicle crashes and 8% of two-vehicle crashes. Police reports in those cases showed less than 1% phone use.
Is Mexico Going Overboard on Passenger Rail?
The Economist raised questions about cost and ridership in the Mexican government’s plan to add 3,000 km of new passenger rail lines by 2030. While the plan aims to add passenger lines alongside existing freight railroad lines, which may reduce the cost somewhat, the article did not include an overall cost estimate. Without such an estimate and realistic ridership projections, it is difficult to assess the cost-effectiveness of this plan.
Is “Free Transit” Sensible?
In its Sept. 12 issue, The Economist provided an overview of cases where public transit is provided without charging fares. The data are interesting, but the article title suggests skepticism, which is borne out by the examples. The subhead of the article sums it up: “Subsidized public transport is politically popular—and economically foolish.”
The Looming Federal Budget Disaster
The Washington Post editorial board published a special feature last month, “When America’s Budget Will Break, Disastrously.”
“[A]cross North America, transit agencies are running their schedules to protect the weekday commuter peak, at the expense of weekend use. That’s noteworthy for two reasons, First, it’s strange because that commuter peak is dying, while weekend use is surging. And secondly, it’s paradoxical, because the ebbing of the weekday peak and surging of weekend use is actually a good thing. Indeed, it’s the best thing to happen to transit in this generation, and operators are failing to capitalize on the opportunity.”
—Andrew Miller, “The Death of the Peak,” Changing Lanes, Sept. 22, 2026
“More important than the meddling back and forth by MPOs is the fact that the US DOT has no mechanism to assure that the [highway] system exists in national terms. That is, to support interstate commerce and international competitiveness. There should be a review function in DOT that could put a metro area down for interfering with interstate flows. A small example was Seattle, which didn’t see that I-5 needed to be bigger, because it was just getting in the way of downtown, regardless of the fact that I-5 connects Canada to Mexico, which didn’t seem to come up in the discussion.”
—Alan Pisarski, email to Robert Poole, July 8, 2026