The state House voted to give the N.C. Turnpike Authority $25 million for 39 years to help fund the construction of the 18-mile stretch of highway through the Research Triangle Park.

The issue now moves to the Senate. If it passes, construction will begin late this fall, said David Joyner, executive director of the Turnpike Authority.

The money is an annual state commitment for about 39 years, to cover the expected gap between toll collections and the total cost of building, operating, maintaining and repaving the toll road, nicknamed the Triangle Turnpike.

The total cost of the project is $1 billion dollars, Joyner said.

The Triangle Turnpike will combine two expressways previously proposed as separate toll projects, connected by a short stretch of Interstate 540:

--The Triangle Parkway would be 3.4 miles and located south from N.C. 147 and Interstate 40 through RTP to I-540.

--A 2.8-mile segment of I-540 from N.C. 54 to N.C. 55. Part of this roadway serves as a link between the other two roads. Tax dollars paid for this I-540 construction, but the Turnpike Authority won federal and state permission to collect tolls from drivers and make it part of the turnpike.

--The Western Wake Parkway, 12.4 miles, extending I-540 south from N.C. 55 near RTP to N.C. 55 between Holly Springs and Apex.

The toll road will be a cashless system with drivers using a transponder attached to their windshields. Drivers would be responsible for adding money to an account, which would be deducted each time they drive the toll road.

Drivers will also have the option of registering their license plates. A camera will take pictures of the plates, and drivers would be sent invoices.

The transponder option will be cheaper for drivers, Joyner said.

Some western Wake residents are unhappy about the prospect of paying tolls to complete Raleigh's I-540 Outer Loop, after its northern half was built with tax dollars.

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