Community Corner
Tolls Drop, Rides Up – State Route 125 Draws More Motorists
The agency that manages the toll portion of SR-125 says rides are up more than 20 percent in the past 12 months
Whether you jump on state Route 125 in Santee or don't get on until the tolls kick in in Spring Valley, a regional government group has said more motorists are using the highway since toll rates dropped.
The agency, the San Diego Association of Governments, has owned the toll portion of the highway, known as the South Bay Expressway, since late in 2011.
SANDAG said earlier this month that total trips rose to 11.65 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, according to the San Diego Business Journal.
That's a more than 20 percent increase in the number of trips projected before tolls were reduced last year.
The toll portion of the road extends from Spring Valley to the border, but SR-125 continues north with free rides to the highway's end in Santee.
Toll revenues were more than $21 million, officials said. For motorists they range from 50 cents to $3.50, with the discounts for FasTrak users.
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