Toll Roads- CA

[DrewD]

What is the name of your state? CALIFORNIA

How do police have the right to ticket people on toll roads? Aren't the CA toll roads privately owned? Who sets the speed limits on toll roads?

If I owned 1000 acres of land and built my own road on it, could I get a speeding ticket?

Please explain why, on top of the State and Federal taxes I pay, I'm charged tolls on a road, and yet that road is otherwise treated no differently than any other government-owned road when it comes to laws and police regulation.

Obviously I'm a bit confused as to where my money is going.

[The Occultist]

Um...You do realize that the Toll Roads are owned and maintained by the state of California, right?

[DrewD]

Obviously not, which is why I asked "Aren't the CA toll roads privately owned?"

[The Occultist]

Well they're not private, they are owned by the state of California (Google "california toll roads", brings up a lovely website), and thus subject to the laws of California. And to answer another of your questions, the tolls go towards the upkeep, and the production of, these toll roads.

[CdwJava]

They are essentially franchise agreements with the state of CA:

Assembly Bill 680 (1989) authorized Caltrans to enter into agreements with private entities for development, construction and operation of four demonstration transportation projects at private sector expense without the use of state funds. Development franchise agreements were executed in December 1990 and January 1991 for the following four projects.

[url]http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/about/toll/status.htm[/url]

All applicable CA Vehicle Codes can be enforced on the toll roads as if they were solely operated by local or state entities.

- Carl

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by DrewD

How do police have the right to ticket people on toll roads? Aren't the CA toll roads privately owned? Who sets the speed limits on toll roads?

Because the law says they can ... sort of ... the laws of the state of CA.

If I owned 1000 acres of land and built my own road on it, could I get a speeding ticket?

No. You also wouldn't need a driver's license or registration. But you could be charged with DUI. If you intended to merge it with the public highway system you would have agree to certain regulations ... and if you intended to create a private roadway system, chances are you would need to have your property re-zoned and go through all sorts of ugly regulatory hearings.

Please explain why, on top of the State and Federal taxes I pay, I'm charged tolls on a road, and yet that road is otherwise treated no differently than any other government-owned road when it comes to laws and police regulation.

Because you don't have to use those roads. You pay tolls to cross at least one way on many of our major bridges, too. If you don't want to pay the toll, there are other ways to travel.


- Carl

[The Occultist]

As always, Carl provides a more accurate and complete answer. Haha I was wondering when you were gonna pop in, this is your state after all!

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by The Occultist

As always, Carl provides a more accurate and complete answer. Haha I was wondering when you were gonna pop in, this is your state after all!

Heh! I DO have a life off of the forum, ya know! And today - being a 3/4 day off for me (I usually get one full day off of work ... maybe tomorrow ...), I was running errands and had lunch with the wife forum free.

- Carl

[The Occultist]

Originally Posted by CdwJava

Heh! I DO have a life off of the forum, ya know! And today - being a 3/4 day off for me (I usually get one full day off of work ... maybe tomorrow ...), I was running errands and had lunch with the wife forum free.

- Carl

Well I guess we can forgive you. This once.