Gov. Rod Blagojevich unveiled a possible long-range plan to open roads last month, but all that has opened up so far is debate.

The main debate is over the increase in toll costs, which would double for non-I-PASS commuters and nearly triple for truck drivers.

Blagojevich’s plan is to increase the number of I-PASS only lanes while lessening the number of trucks on the road during peak driving times. It is an attempt to ease congestion and save commuters’ time.

“The high cost of the tolls is a definite concern,” said Roger Hopkins, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation. “It’s going to make [DeKalb] a lot less attractive of a location for businesses.”

Hopkins said it is unfair to assume truckers will pick up the burden of reconstructing the tollway.

Perhaps the most fiery debate is over the increase in truck costs.

According to official plan documents, the damage caused by one truck equals that of 10,000 cars, which is why Blagojevich wants to charge truckers more. Truckers can get reduced toll rates by driving during off-peak periods, but even the reduced rate would still be about double the original rate.

Don Schaefer, executive vice president of the Midwest Truckers Association, agreed with Hopkins that tripling the cost is too much to handle.

“There’s an old phrase, ‘ You can price yourself right out of the market,’ and that’s what they’re doing now,” Schaefer said. “With increasing truck registration fees and fuel costs and now possibly the tolls, how much more can an industry absorb? Not much.”

The increased toll charges could cause truckers to use alternative routes.

“If it’s going to cost a trucker an extra $20 to get from Rockford to Indiana, [a trucker] is going to start thinking about other ways to get there,” Schaefer said.

One other way is by secondary roads. Ohio truckers began using them after they faced a similar situation a few years back, Schaefer said.

“It’s a safety concern to have trucks on these [secondary] roads, not to mention the wear and tear and congestion that will be put on them,” Schaefer said.

This is something Kim Kubiak, executive director of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, said she has already noticed on Lincoln Highway despite toll increases.

“The governor has made Illinois one of the worst states to do business in,” Kubiak said, referring to the increase in truck registration fees and tolls. “It’s a necessary evil. If we want business, we need [the trucks],” Kubiak said.

Another debate that has been made about the plan is over the increased cost for non-I-PASS commuters.

Joelle McGinnis, press secretary for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, said she feels there is a common misperception that the new plan will increase the time it takes to wait in toll plaza lines.

“The most innovative part of this plan is that I-PASS users will be able to continue driving without stopping, while the toll plazas would divert to the sides of the road,” McGinnis said.

The lower cost and shorter times for I-PASS-only lanes give drivers an incentive to use I-PASS instead of the usual toll plazas, but it is not a necessity to have an I-PASS account, McGinnis said.

Potential Illinois tolls

l Proposed Toll Rates (Trucks)

Currently :

Small – 2 axles – $0.50

Medium – 3-4 axles – $0.75-1.00

Large – 5+ axles – $1.25-1.50

l Proposed :

Small – 2 axles – $1.50

Medium – 3-4 axles – $2.25

Large – 5+ axles – $4.00

l Proposed Toll Rates (Autos)

Currently :

$0.40-0.50 (I-PASS)

$0.40-0.50 (Cash)

l Proposed :

$0.40-0.50 (I-PASS)

$0.80-1.00 (Cash)

Source: www.illinoistollway.com