(a) Tolls may be imposed by the commission on segments of newly constructed state highway routes, as described in subdivision (b), if transportation facilities, including, but not limited to, additional highways and capacity enhancing improvements to existing highways, are needed to accommodate additional commercial traffic resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement, and federal funds have not been made available to the state for those purposes. In addition, for state highway routes and transportation facilities constructed on or after January 1, 1997, the cost may be borne by a combination of tolls, toll-backed bonds, and any other state and federal funds that may be available for those purposes, on a project-by-project basis.
(b) The imposition of tolls pursuant to subdivision (a) is limited to Route 7, from the new international border crossing near Calexico to Route 8 near El Centro in Imperial County.
(c) Tolls imposed on any route described in this section shall be discontinued upon the happening of either of the following: (1) federal funds are received for the cost of the improvements to that route, which funds are in addition to the normal apportionment of federal funds to California and are for the specific purpose of mitigating the impacts of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or (2) the cost of those improvements is fully paid.
(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 553, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)