FHWA reopens tolling pilot program to support interstate improvements

Washington, D.C. — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is offering states additional options by reopening a program that allows tolling on existing interstates to finance improvements and upgrades.  The FHWA will consider applications for three slots under the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program (ISRRPP), which currently is the only program that allows tolling of an existing interstate mainline to support the rehabilitation or reconstruction of the road.

The program was originally established in 1998 under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), but the FAST Act established deadlines for states that receive approval under the program to begin implementing tolls and added that proper state legislation should be in place to allow tolling. As such, FHWA reclaimed slots that had not advanced and issued a new Federal Register Notice (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/10/20/2017-22775/fixing-americas-surface-transportation-fast-act-solicitation-for-candidate-projects-in-the) to solicit applications from states interested in interstate tolling.