To garner public opinion about tolling on the Interstate 80 corridor, the Wyoming Department of Transportation will hold an open-house meeting in Casper today.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in the American room. The sixth in a series of public meetings about tolling, the Casper event will be the first held in a community not along the I-80 corridor.

"During the interactions we've had with the public meetings so far, we've received a range of reaction to the concept of tolling on I-80," said Pat Collins, WYDOT assistant chief engineer for engineering, in a media release.

As of now, tolling is only an idea, not a definite possibility for funding construction along I-80, Collins said.

During the next three decades, I-80 traffic is expected to more than double from the current average of 13,000 vehicles per day. Large truck traffic, which now makes up about half of I-80 usage, is expected to increase at a faster pace than passenger vehicle traffic.

Current estimates show WYDOT will need $6.4 billion, after adjusting for inflation, during the next 30 years to maintain I-80 in its present condition, without adding capacity to meet traffic growth. The estimate exceeds the total of revenue expected to be available for maintenance of the entire state highway system, much less I-80, Collins said.

"We are most interested in receiving constructive comment about how to best address our anticipated I-80 funding challenges, whether it's tolling or another method. We appreciate that our legislators will have difficult choices ahead of them in providing adequate funding to keep up with demands," he said.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at tom.morton@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.

Speak up

Comment forms will be provided at the upcoming meeting. Those unable to attend but wishing to comment may do so by submitting their comments to Tim McDowell, State Programming Engineer, WYDOT, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne 82009, or by e-mail to: tollingstudy@dot.state.wy.us.

Online

For more information, see www.dot.state.wy.us/wydot/planning_projects/studies_plans/I-80_tolling_study.