Columnist Tom Greenwood provides a segment of his chat with Kirk T. Steudle, the newly appointed director of MDOT. In addition to answering a question about construction workers in construction zones, Steudle answers a question about the possibility of toll roads in Michigan:

“I think it's something the state is going to have to look at. Do we want them here? If not, how are we going to pay for our system of roads? The thing to remember is that 80 percent of the cost of our freeway is picked up by the federal government. Before we could install tolls on any interstate, we would have to repay the government for the money they put into the project; otherwise, it's double taxation. It would cost billions. The other way to put in tolls is to build any new freeways with nothing but state funds, but that would also cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

Then there is the option of adding lanes to freeways with the state picking up the entire cost of construction. Then we can charge a toll for riding on the new lanes. The toll would probably be variable, with a higher toll for rush hour traffic to no toll at 2 a.m.” When asked if the state gasoline tax should be raised, Steudle answered: “MDOT has no opinion on gas taxes. That's up to the voters in Michigan.”