LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In Louisville, it costs anywhere from $2.21 to $4.42 to cross three of the city's bridges into Indiana.
Members of the Louisville community say they feel like they're being "taxed double" following Governor Andy Beshear and Ohio's governor announcing they would use federal funding to pay for a new toll-free bridge in Northern Kentucky.
The money for necessary repairs to the Brent Spence Bridge would come out of the $39 billion slated in the bipartisan infrastructure bill and help create a toll-free companion bridge to help alleviate traffic.
"The question is, 'How is that fair?'" Anthony Piagentini, the representative for Louisville's District 19, said. "How was that just to Louisvillians and southern and folks from southern Indiana, who took the initiative to fix our bridges and improve public infrastructure in between our states, in our cities."
Piagentini is one of the council members sponsoring the recent resolution to end tolling on our local bridges. He said he understands federal regulations won't allow money to be used just for removing tolls.
"The goal should be the same, which is to eliminate that burden on local residents who simply took the initiative when federal dollars weren't available," Piagentini said.
The resolution states Metro Council wants to see federal funds directed to bridges in the Ohio River Bridge Project rather than residents having to take on that burden through tolls.
Right now, one of the few ways to avoid a toll in Louisville is to cross over the Second Street Bridge downtown. However, for many, that might not be the most convenient option.
"We've created a crazy disincentive to use these brand new branches, and meanwhile, incentivize people to use our older, less, you know, I don't want to say they're unsafe, but less new, less updated, right infrastructure bridges," Piagentini said.
Workers at local businesses also say these tolls are adding missed opportunities for more customers to visit their shops.
"They want to come and visit us from all over and that's inhibited," Julie Hoffman, a sales associate at Sapphire on Spring Boutique, said. "They come here and say I didn't realize I had to pay a toll."
Hoffman said it feels like the community is being taxed double.
"Because, you know, we're federally paying for the infrastructure already for highways and roads and bridges," Hoffman said.
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