Final Letter to the Editor

This is my final letter to the editor after it had been peer reviewed and revised.

Reply to Pay to Use I-70 at Peaks?
Jan. 25, 2008

The idea that cars should pay 5 to 12 dollars per drive on I-70 makes me furious because gas is already very expensive right now. I feel that this article’s attempt to appeal to the emotions of commuters is unsuccessful and would only create more angry drivers on the road. People will still go to the mountains, however now the heavy traffic will either be at a different time of day to avoid tolls, or the traffic pattern will not change yet people will be angrier. I do not think this is a good idea whatsoever, and I become heated inside thinking about paying more money to snowboard.
The counter argument is an idea I am in favor of. Using the toll money to create a free bus service to the mountains seems like a good compromise; on the contrary, unless there were stops close enough to me, I feel the positives of a shuttle would not outweigh the convenience of driving. This ecological carpool system is said to have bus-only express lanes, yet with tunnels and narrow mountain sides, tax-payers would only be throwing out more money on top of the initial 5 to 12 dollar fee. The article compares this problem to I-25, stating, “South I-25's traffic patterns allowed the Colorado Department of Transportation to relieve congestion by adding new lanes and a light rail line with the T-REX project.” I-70 on the other hand is a much more difficult task to manage. This article intended for people to agree with them, however it had an opposite effect on me.