Toll Roads Bill Stalled in Minnesota House

ST. PAUL -- A plan to create public-private partnerships in finishing major road construction projects stalled in the Minnesota House this session. It would have created toll roads to help pay for them.

Senator John Pederson authored the bill in the Senate and says the tolls would sunset when the project was paid off. But, he says motorists strongly object to toll roads. The fear is that once you get a toll road, lawmakers will become addicted to that funding source.  If that happens, the tolls won't expire as the legislation intended.

Pederson says there are many more construction projects than there is funding available.

The St. Cloud Senator says he's open to finding other ways to pay for much-needed road construction projects and will keep working to find a workable solution.