1/18/05-A Minnesota Department of Transportation steering committee is examining whether taxpayers should help fund high-occupancy toll lanes, or HOT lanes, the state plans to build near Minneapolis to relieve congestion.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported a consultant told state officials last year that the lanes would not raise enough money to pay for themselves.
In part, committee members are concerned that using public funds for the toll lanes would take those funds away from other non-toll projects, the newspaper reported.
MnDOT is scheduled to propose new toll projects in March. The steering committee is scheduled to offer state DOT officials a report on the lanes by February.