Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah House passes bill giving UDOT authority to build toll roads amid debate over local impacts
Summary
The House passed House Bill 266 to authorize the Utah Department of Transportation to construct toll roads or lanes, with legislative oversight for designation; supporters called it a planning tool, critics warned of disproportionate local burdens (example: Davis County). The measure passed and will go to the Senate.
The Utah House on Feb. 18 approved House Bill 266, which authorizes the Utah Department of Transportation to construct toll roads and lanes on state highways, establishes a restricted toll‑revenue account and provides legislative oversight on tollway designation.
Representative Smith Allen, the sponsor, said the measure extends the authority already available to cities and counties to state transportation authorities while preserving legislative review. "It is another tool in their tool belt for addressing the growing and pressing transportation needs we have in the state," Smith Allen said. "It's not like a tax because there are alternative ways of getting from point A to point B — you don't have to pay the toll if you don't want to."
The pink‑sheet amendments accepted on the floor require the transportation commission to submit tollway designations to the Legislature for approval in the next session and clarify that the statute applies only to state highways. The bill also creates a restricted account intended to hold toll receipts, legislative appropriations and public or private contributions; supporters said the account can carry internal balances for separate projects while the Legislature retains appropriation authority.
Opponents, including Representative Carnahan, argued the bill could impose extra costs on counties and cited the West Davis/Legacy Highway corridor as a likely early candidate for tolling. "If this is the first project, it may be Davis County that is asked to pay extra to use a toll road," Carnahan said, urging caution about local impacts and equity.
Lawmakers asked several technical questions on toll‑setting, accounting, and whether general fund or other appropriations could be placed into the account. Sponsors said toll rates would be set by the Transportation Commission based on revenue projections tied to bond repayment and maintenance needs, and that any legislative appropriation would be explicit and subject to legislative direction.
The Clerk reported the final vote as 56 yes and 8 no; the bill will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
