Tolls should pay for Yellowhead work

Re. “Yellowhead should be sold to province,” Letters, Oct. 25

The Yellowhead is an artery in Edmonton that is practically a freeway, but for a few north-south intersections controlled by traffic lights. Most people are well-served by the way it is. To spend a billion dollars to turn it into even more of a freeway is a needless handout to a few special interests at the expense of many.

The road closures and detours will restrict existing north-south access and inconvenience businesses and people living in the north side. The logical thing to do is to finance the costs — $500 million in borrowing that is needed for construction and all the annual maintenance costs — by a toll on users.

The toll would limit the freeway to those who believe the benefit outweighs the cost to them. The rest would naturally use Anthony Henday and other avenues to get around the city.

Nic Narayanan, Edmonton