Turnpike

This moved on the West Virginia AP wire this afternoon:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia Turnpike should hike its tolls by $1.70 for heavy trucks and 50 cents for other vehicles by mid-2008, and then by similar levels again within five years, a consulting firm hired by Gov. Joe Manchin has recommended.

The turnpike’s parent agency should also quit the economic development and tourism business, sell off those projects it has, and cut or end funding to its Tamarack arts and crafts showplace, Monday’s detailed report from the Public Resources Advisory Group said.

“One option could include transferring Tamarack to an entity with particularized expertise in the arts, craft and culture arena,” the report said.

But the PRAG study advises against dismantling the tolls or switching the turnpike to the state Division of Highways. Several lawmakers have proposed as much this session.The report instead recommends that the Legislature restore the bond-selling powers of the parent Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority. The study also said Manchin and lawmakers should consider selling the right to run the turnpike to the private sector, and study adding tolls to other state roads and bridges.

I've not read the full report. If you want to read all 98 pages, which I hope to do tomorrow, go here. It's 6 o'clock and I want to go home to my family, if you know what I mean.

Offhand, I find myself agreeing with much of what's in the report as summarized by the AP, although I would like to see the justification for continuing to have tolls on the road. It may have to do with the turnpike authority's bond debt, but that's just a guess at this point.

The state most definitely should consider selling the Turnpike, although at my most basic level, I'm very wary of this, given West Virginia state government's past involvement with businesses. I can't cite every example, but my overall impression is that when the state negotiates with private enterprise, the state usually comes in second.