I-10 Toll Bridge State
Alabama is known to be last in almost every category. Be it obesity, drugs, education, prisons and much more. Alabama has no lottery and is not even considering the millions, maybe billions, in revenue from decriminalization of marijuana. I am sure Alabama will be last in that category.
Alabama is first in political corruption.
Now we will be first to install a toll on I-10.
The only toll.
If our political leaders have it their way, Alabama will be known as the toll bridge state.
Interstate 10 (or I-10) is a long Interstate Highway which the west side ends at Santa Monica, California (near Los Angeles), and the other side ends at Jacksonville, Florida. The route is 2,460.34 miles (3,959.53 km) long and travels through 8 states.
2,460.34 miles of federal highway and the ONLY toll will be in Alabama.
We need a special car tag so the rest of the country will give us the due “credit” we deserve.
Mike Lee of logistics firm Page & Jones, former president of the Build the Bridge coalition, said the area has a “generational opportunity” to pursue federal funding this year, with Congress considering infrastructure proposals and Sen. Richard Shelby as vice chair of the appropriations committee until his retirement next year.
Mark Colson, president and CEO with the Alabama Trucking Association
“reiterated that the trucking industry believes the plan is unconstitutional because it singles out truckers to finance an interstate project. A federal lawsuit in Rhode Island argues that truck-only tolls discriminate against out-of-state companies, violating the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.”
Many citizens feel that development is pushing for the bridge and traffic issues are an easy way to distract the public.
However you feel, the realization is that a federal Government Infrastructure Bill has been whittled down by Republicans. It is already to late for the Bridge proposal, by Republicans, to be considered in the current bill.
Another point is that Alabama Republicans have for the last 6 months been disparaging the current administration.
How does that work?
You have your hand out for federal money while you are peeing on their leg?
During the MPO meeting 6 out of the 8 speakers said that Federal money is needed. This has been a subject of conversation for months.
This project is not even to first base and lacks leadership. Now all of the sudden the sponsors, MPO’s, have come to the conclusion that they need Federal money and a toll, the exact opposite of their previous positions.
Oh! by the way it has now been decided that the truck only bridge will allow cars for a toll.
There is hope. Jack Burrell, Eastern Shore MPO Chairman, aka Pied Piper, will be going to Washington playing his pipe for the trucking industry.
Let’s hope Jack does not take Senator Tommy Tubberville or Rep. Mo Brooks with him.
In Washington doors close if you are from Alabama, they do not open, thanks to our political leaders.
