California Warning

[JudyJB]

For those of you planning on visiting Southern California, you need to know that as of May, 2014, none of their toll booths will be manned, and you have to have an express account on record or a Fast Trak pass. If you are a visitor, they suggest you set up an account in advance or use a friend or relative's account by adding your license plate. Only other option is to pay within 48 hours by going online and charging any tolls to your credit card. There is also a mobile phone app, but none of these sound very friendly or welcoming to visitors who don't know about this in advance!!

Their site for visitors is at https://www.thetollroads.com/ontheroads/for-visitors.php

The web site says they want your visit to be enjoyable, but mine certainly was not, considering I just got a $59 fine for going through an unmanned toll booth that would take only correct change when I had nothing but a $20 bill. It would also not take a credit card or accept larger amounts and give change!! I have submitted a formal dispute, but this really irritates me. There was NOTHING on that toll booth that told you how to pay if you did not have the correct cash or an electronic pass.

I think it will be a very long time before I go back to southern California, especially considering the $40 motorhome parking at the Queen Mary, and the nasty campground staff in Laguna Beach.

[JudyJB]

I just read that Texas is doing the same thing but sends you a monthly bill with a small charge added.

I am driving on US 10 through Texas in a couple of months. Am I going to get into a toll road mess around San Antonio?? Any other places I need to avoid because of this toll road problem for visitors?

Thanks

[longdog2]

Judy....we don't have any toll roads in San Antonio. There is a toll road that goes from I-10 east of San Antonio up around Austin as a by-pass.

[Acadianmom]

There is a toll road in Houston but I have never taken it. I just stay on I-10. The signs are kind of confusing but I just stay to the right and have avoided it.

Martha

[Deeann]

Oklahoma also has these "correct change only automated systems" but some of our toll booths still have a lane with an attendant. It's expedient to have an Oklahoma Pike Pass on the windshield because you don't have to stop at the toll booth to pay. But it sounds like you need to keep a coin purse handy. And keep it full of change.

[Pooker]

At least in the part of Southern California where I live, you don't have to take the toll roads. You can drive regular freeways. The toll road near me is actually just the same freeway, but a toll lane. It is designed for commuters to have a faster lane and yes, you have to obtain a pass to use it. Just avoid the well-marked toll lanes and stay on the regular highway.

I've lived in So. Cal. a lot of years, have traveled pretty much all over the state, and have never, ever paid a toll! There's always been an alternative way to go.

Pooker

[Bethers]

I don't live in southern California, but have never been on a toll road here. Have avoided the one in TEXAS also.

[Rufflesgurl]

I live in CA and have taken the MH to specifically San Diego and have never even seen a toll road??? There are a few toll bridges in the SF Bay Area - Dunbarton and Golden Gate that I know of. I'm sure there's other toll bridges also that I haven't used recently.

Linda

[Azusateach]

At least in the part of Southern California where I live, you don't have to take the toll roads. You can drive regular freeways. The toll road near me is actually just the same freeway, but a toll lane. It is designed for commuters to have a faster lane and yes, you have to obtain a pass to use it. Just avoid the well-marked toll lanes and stay on the regular highway.

I've lived in So. Cal. a lot of years, have traveled pretty much all over the state, and have never, ever paid a toll! There's always been an alternative way to go.

Pooker

X2

It seems that all states are moving toward having toll roads to pay for the ever-crumbling interstate infrastructure. Too many cars using roads that were never designed for the volume they receive.

Doing one's homework before using certain roads and visiting various tourist spots will help the frustration levels. And when driving a 30' rig, one needs to expect to have to pay more for parking. It stands to reason ... more vehicle = more cost.

Laura

[RitaMc]

Last fall when coming home and traveling north on I 25 in Colorado we decided to take the toll road around Denver to connect to I 70 at Brighton. Traffic was heavy and we thought continuing on I 25 would take at least another hour or more of our time. It was getting towards rush hour on a busy Saturday afternoon. We got in the lanes for the I 470 toll way and just kept going. We thought it odd that there were no toll booths. But traffic was light on the toll way and we made good time. Thinking we would pay as we exited. But no toll booth there either. We thought it exceptionally nice for Colorado to treat tourists so nice. About 6 weeks after arriving home we got a bill for $25. There are camera's taking vehicle front and back license pictures. Although the toll seemed high we felt it was worth it as it got us to our evenings destination at a better time. Our story of the Kansas Turnpike was more harrowing. As we were leaving the Topeka campground John said to my brother in law "I need to fuel up. I am almost on empty." BIL said, "Gas available on turnpike." So we get on and first sign we see is next gas station 56 miles. Oh oh we are in trouble. There was an exit before that but it was very rural an no indications if any of the small towns about 20 miles off the interstate had gas stations. We passé a sign that gave an emergency number wrote that down , slowed to almost a crawl and did lots of praying. As we slowly limped into the station the light came on indicting we had only a gallon of fuel left. So traveling on tolls an turnpikes can be exciting.
Rita

[JudyJB]

I was on California 261 West. The only reason I took this toll road is because I was complaining of traffic and my old friend who had taken me to lunch strongly recommended it as a good route to avoid traffic.

I am going to have to watch the Denver area toll roads. I think I will just set my GPS to avoid all toll roads. What is tricky is that these roads look like normal toll roads and there is no notification about not taking cash and how to pay. The irritating assumption is that you are local and should know all the rules.

Sounds like a nasty money making scheme, frankly. Is Florida also going with no toll booths?

[Irmi]

Judy, there are toll roads in FL, but we found they didn't save us any time, so we won't be taking them again. There was an exit off the toll road we were going to take, only because of an overhead sign that said there was an accident ahead, but the exit we had planned on taking said it didn't take cash. Needless to say, we went to the next exit that did accept cash. Personally I think it's a racket, but that said, we'll be taking other roads from here on in.

[IrishIroamed]

Grand Island, NE was iffy on gas stations also. Maybe they've finally built one close to I-80.

An you'd think by now, the government or the states would all get on board so one IPass, Easy Pass or whatever each state calls them would work together. I know mine (IL) works in IN

[mtngal]

Just an FYI re: Texas: it's pretty easy to avoid the toll roads around Austin (trade off, of course, is more traffic on reg roads), BUT in Dallas, tolls are hard to avoid. Oh, and all are electronic, no booths. You will receive bill in the mail.

[MandysMom]

We accidentally got stuck on a toll road in Denver area and could not figure out why no booths. Wanted to pay but no place. Months after we got home we got a bill plus fine for late! In our envelope were bills for 3 different people! I called and said you don't send a bill for six months then fine me for not paying? Then what about all these other bills. They were nice and took payment over phone, I think it was $7. I said what do I do about these other people's bills? They said toss them! I wonder how much they fined the rest for paying late even though they never got bills
Velda