PECG commissioned an April poll by David Binder Research showing that 61 percent of registered voters statewide oppose new private toll roads that "provide a profit to investors." And 52 percent said California should have fewer or no toll roads.
But California has no choice, said Richard Little of the University of Southern California's Keston Institute for Infrastructure. Little believes the state's public works needs go well beyond the $37.3 billion in bonds approved. He said voters cannot pass more and more bonds without raiding the state's coffers for education, health care and other social service needs.
Projects likely will develop at the local level before the Legislature gets involved. The Riverside County Transportation Commission, for example, last week approved a $2 billion plan that would build new toll lanes on Interstate 15 and extend existing toll lanes on Highway 91. The commission is also expected to seek money from the $19.9 billion statewide transportation bond approved last month.
"Obviously, faced with driving on roads for free or paying for the privilege, you'd rather do it for free," Little said. "But that's not the option. The option is being stuck in traffic or having mobility."
So far, no state officials have advocated turning existing freeways into toll roads -- a politically unpalatable move -- and the governor wants to use public-private partnerships only for new construction.
State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said he supports private investment in public projects because "there will never be enough public money to build as fast as we need to." He suggested lawmakers will want to consider private partnerships on a project-by-project basis.
"The way I look at it is, if we only use public dollars for private infrastructure investment, we basically are using money that is going to take away from essential services," Perata said.