For years, Raleigh residents have enjoyed the convenience of its I-440 beltline and I-540 partial beltline, all traveled freely without tolls. But soon North Carolina will join the league of states who effectively tax drivers for the convenience of highway expediency. Say goodbye to the I-540 beltline and hello to the Triangle Expressway.

The Triangle Expressway is composed of three sections — the Triangle Parkway, the Northern Wake Expressway, and the Western Wake Freeway. Of these, the Northern Wake Expressway was recently opened as an extension of I-540. Ultimately it will function to join the other two segments as a contiguous toll road of 18.8 miles managed by the NC Turnpike Authority.

The toll is projected to be about 12 cents per mile, but only for vehicles equipped with an infrared transponder costing between $8 to $20 that will allow a computer to deduct fees from a prepaid account. Drivers not having a transponder will not have to slow for a toll booth, however, as cameras record the license plates of vehicles which travel on the expressway. Drivers can register their plates to pay a rate of about 28 cents per mile, while those who don’t register will pay about 42 cents per mile.

The cost of the Triangle Expressway is an estimated $1 billion. The additional funding from the tolls should take about 40 years for the project debt to be paid off, at which time the tolls will be eliminated as required by state law.

Anthony Williams