WASHINGTON TERRACE — Utah joined more congested locales in California, Texas and the East Coast with the arrival earlier this summer of its first privately funded toll road, the Adams Avenue Parkway south of Ogden.
Construction of the $10 million road by developer Doug Stephens follows a national trend that transportation experts predict will become more prominent in the future — making money off motorists who gladly pay to avoid congestion.
Private toll roads have become big business in heavily populated areas, and private toll lanes are popping up alongside public highways. Some motorists are even paying a fee to drive in traditional high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
While traffic congestion may not be as drastic along the Wasatch Front, private toll roads may be the way of the future.
The Adams Avenue Parkway is just under a mile long. But since it opened June 27, the number of motorists using it each day has climbed from about 500 to 800.
The toll road, which traverses 400 acres owned by Stephens, connects I-84 with U.S. 89.
When traffic is light, use of the $1 toll road can trim about four minutes from the eight-minute trip on U.S. 89 and Riverdale Road. But when the parkway really pays off is during peak hours when Riverdale Road, in particular, is heavily congested — the 35 mph toll road remains a four-minute drive, but the regular route can take as long as 30 minutes.
"The people coming through are generally all smiles," said Parkway manager Breon Jacobs. "I'd say 95 percent of them are excited about the road.
To others the toll road concept is completely foreign. "We do have a few come through that are unhappy that it's a dollar," Jacobs said. "There are a few who think that their tax money paid for the road and they're upset they have to pay to use it."
Still others don't even know the road exists. During last weekend's Terrace Days, Jacobs handed out coupons for free rides on the Parkway and found many potential customers simply weren't aware of its existence.
Washington Terrace resident Brent Bovero and his wife have used the toll road occasionally to visit family and enjoy skipping all the traffic lights found on the regular route.
"It saves us a few minutes," Bovero said. "If it was something we had to take back and forth to work, I don't know that we would use it because the dollar seems a little high both ways."
For Stephens' investment to pay off, he needs between 3,000 and 4,000 cars to travel the Parkway each day. But the only money that must be repaid is $2 million he borrowed from the state, and by law he doesn't have to begin paying that back until 2007.
"It'll take some time to grow. It's like any new business, especially when it's as new as this is to our whole country," Stephens said. "I think it's one of those things where you hear about it but you don't get to it right away. We're all creatures of habit."
Stephens also hopes to capitalize on the new road by building both residential and commercial developments along the route, although he said no plans are firm at this point.
"There's just lots of talk," he said. "Between now and spring we'll probably lay out some of the ground."
Stephens isn't alone in his hope the project will succeed.
Washington Terrace City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt said the toll-road corridor could one day become a home to car dealerships or other major commercial ventures.
"Every day they are getting a few more cars and that can do nothing but help our quest to make that a commercial sector in our city," Hildebrandt said.
The Utah Department of Transportation is keeping an eye on the project as well.
UDOT officials say the state has more road construction needs than it can afford. And while UDOT studied and ruled out charging a toll on the upcoming Legacy Parkway, tolls could be considered for future projects.
Public-private partnerships in road construction are also a possibility if public funding for transportation remains tight in the future, as expected.
As to whether he will consider building more toll roads like the Adams Avenue Parkway elsewhere in Utah, Stephens said, "I guess I'll have to digest this one first."
E-MAIL: zman@desnews.com