Toll Lanes

The nickle-and-diming of America continues apace:

A provision in the $284 billion highway bill under consideration on Capitol Hill could open the way for more tolls on the nation's congested interstates, marking a departure from long-standing federal highway policy that has traditionally frowned on collecting tolls to pay for roads built with federal tax dollars.

Under the transportation bill passed by the House of Representatives last month, states would be allowed to convert overall up to 25 segments of the interstate highway system into toll roads over the next six years. The Senate is expected to vote on similar legislation this month.

It's already happening in my neck of the woods. Naturally, the government doesn't want to give up the tolls even after the construction is paid for. What happened to the idea of public service?