Tolls and Control

Abstract

This article examines efforts to lease revenue-generating transportation facilities in the twenty-first century, focusing on two high-profile toll roads: the Pennsylvania Turnpike, operated by an independent public authority, and the Chicago Skyway, originally built and managed under the auspices of the City of Chicago. In 2004, the Chicago City Council unanimously approved a ninety-nine-year Skyway lease for $1.83 billion. In contrast, the fate of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was hotly contested, and in 2008 a long-term lease deal failed to win approval. The divergent history of these facilities highlights the close relationship between infrastructure financing and the locus of control, with important implications for transportation planning.