Not buying the Highway 1 toll road fantasy

I don’t get the toll road on Highway 1 fantasy. Why would anyone pay to travel a road that calls for absolute attention to driving for all its twists and turns, potholes and road hazards? Twenty dollars would keep most casual users off the road. Anyone wanting the experience of driving through Big Sur for the first time better be a passenger.

Instead of maintaining the existing crumbling roadway, throwing millions at repair each year, why not give California the roadway of the future? My fantasy would be an elevated roadway — like a monorail — anchored to bedrock, immune to landslides and most earth movement. It could have new technology that would make it autonomous for the driver, maybe even a car mover so you can turn your engine off.

Then, if you want to charge $20 for a hands-free experience, it would be worth it.

This story was originally published June 10, 2017 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Not buying the Highway 1 toll road fantasy."