In Ukraine, the condition of the road surface has long been one of the major problems. One of the proposals for solving this problem is the construction of toll roads. This type of highway is actively used in a number of European countries and the USA. Toll highways have both advantages and disadvantages, which are worth considering in more detail.
Benefits of toll roads
Road construction is an expensive undertaking. One kilometer of highway can cost tens and even hundreds of millions of hryvnia. Therefore, attracting investors, rather than using public funds, is a significant advantage of toll roads.
The funds collected from drivers are used to maintain and repair the road surface, as well as to create the necessary infrastructure. Self-sufficiency is a key advantage of such roads.
Another feature of toll highways is their high-quality pavement, designed for heavier vehicles. Unlike regular roads, which can support vehicles weighing up to 25 tons, toll roads can accommodate even forty-ton trucks.
Other advantages include:
- Comfortable driving conditions
- Large number of stripes
- High level of security
- High quality and timely service
Toll roads, as a rule, do not pass through large settlements, which significantly reduces travel time. The presence of their own service departments allows for quick elimination of problems on the roads.
Disadvantages of toll roads
The main disadvantage of toll roads is the need to pay for each kilometer. In Ukraine, the cost of travel on concession highways can vary from 0.75 to 4.20 UAH depending on the weight of the vehicle. For example, for a 100 km trip, the owner of a passenger car like Renault Logan II will pay about 75-80 UAH, and a truck driver - 410-420 UAH.
Another possible disadvantage is the formation of queues at the entrance due to the collection of tolls.
Ranking of countries with the largest number of toll roads
The leader in the number of toll roads is the USA, where such highways began to be built a long time ago. In Europe, toll roads are most common in countries such as:
- France
- Italy
- Denmark
- Austria
- Spain
There are also a significant number of toll roads in smaller countries such as Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia.
Prospects for toll roads in Ukraine
In Ukraine, the government plans to build six toll highways with the involvement of investors. Here is a list of concession highways that should be built by 2023:
- Kharkov - Zaporozhye via Dnieper (M29/M04/M18)
- Boryspil - Poltava (M03)
- Kherson - Nikolaev (M14)
- Kyiv - Rivne via Zhitomir (M06)
- Yagodin - Lutsk via Kovel (M08/M19)
- Dnepr - Nikolaev via Krivoy Rog (M04/N11)
Time will tell how this will be implemented in practice.
Conclusion
Toll roads have their advantages and should become an integral part of the Ukrainian transport system along with regular highways. Every driver should be able to choose which type of road to drive on. If you don’t have a car yet, but want to use transport, you can rent his in the company bestrental. The site offers a wide range of cars, including Hyundai Elantra 2021, Renault Logan II, Citroen C-Elysee, Honda Accord X 2019, Ford Fiesta and many other models.