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Originally Posted by MSinger

Actually no infrastructure has been sold. The Indiana Toll Road is on a 75 year lease for $3.8 billion. The State of Indiana is currently collecting $543,243 PER DAY on the interest alone. This money is being funneled back into the highways all across the state. The toll road has been improved and for the first time tolls can be collected electronically through the EZ Pass system. The company that leases the toll road is also giving the state $5 million to build a new state police post along the road as well as an additional $6 million for additional troopers to patrol the highway.
This arrangement is not unique just to Indiana. The City of Chicago formed the first lease of an existing tollway with a private company who also has foreign ties. The Chicago Skyway was leased out for $1.83 dollars for a 99 year lease in January 2005. Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are also interested in forming such leases on their toll roads.

Is this why it's such a bargain at $6.75 for 150 miles?

We tried the whole tollroad lease deal here in Ontario with highway 407, billions of dollars were paid to the government. What a deal it was! But then the company it was leased to was sold to someone else and they saw a cash cow.

Fast forward to today,

To drive my pickup about 65 miles on the 407 costs $24.10. And once the deal was signed the government seemed to suddenly loose interest in building or expanding any roads that would possibly be an alternative to 407. BTW, the same trip in a D unit would cost 91.01 for someone from out of state (no 407 transponder, your EZ pass don't work on the 407) if you had the transponder it would be 41 bucks. There's no toll booths either so you get billed, if you don't pay the bill you get you will not be able to renew your license plates.

Now the government has sued the highway several times to try to get them to quit gouging people, the government keeps loosing as the courts say the toll increases are "prudent" with the increasing costs of maintaining the highway, wich was built by the taxpayers as a 50 year concrete road (it is a very nice highway).

Anyone who things selling or leasing highways is a good idea should read up on the 407. Like I said, what a deal!