Pinion To Draft Legislation To Oversee Toll Roads? The Chattanooga Times Free Press is running a story today on Union City Democrat Rep.Philip Pinion of the 77th District.

State seeks alternative funding for roads

By Cliff Hightower Staff Writer The chairman of Tennessee’s House Transportation Committee said Monday he is drafting legislation that would set up a panel to oversee toll roads and public-private road partnerships statewide. "Right now, there is no toll road commission," said state Rep. Phillip Pinion, D-Union City. "We have to look at toll roads and publicprivate partnerships. We have to look at all alternative funding." The planned legislation comes as state transportation officials struggle with how to raise money to fund public transportation. Tennessee will face transportation funding deficits by 2008 and an accumulated shortfall of $2 billion by 2015, according to the state’s longrange transportation plan. State Department of Transportation officials have said ways the state could afford some road projects are through toll roads, public-private partnerships, indexing the gasoline tax or setting up a state infrastructure bank. "A toll road gives people a choice," Rep. Pinion said. "Virtually all of the states in the South have toll roads."

Your thoughts? Here's a gander at Pinion's website. It seems to be a bit more comprehensive with some usefull information than some from this part of the state that I've seen lately. Do you think people are going to go for toll roads? I know that Pinion is pretty low-key and pretty persuasive. Lots of folks in his district like him. We will see.   ¶ 10/31/2006 07:35:00 PM