Have a doctor’s appointment in St. Charles or head toward St. Louis every morning for work? Expect to pay $3 round-trip each time you hop onto Interstate 70.Heading to Columbia for a Missouri football game? Be ready to fork over an additional $19.50 to watch the game. A cheaper alternative might be spending the weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks though it will still cost $13.50 to travel both ways.These are some potential costs local residents may face if an effort to convert I-70 into a toll road succeeds.Although many thought the idea was dead, the possibility of tolling one of the nation’s busiest thoroughfares still exists.“The threat is real,” said Steve Etcher, an economic development consultant and former Boonslick Regional Planning Commission executive director.Local business leaders and elected officials are taking steps to stave/ward off the latest tolling talk. They are meeting with various organizations and educating residents and business owners about the impact of tolling.Last month, Etcher outlined what is planned in the fight opposing tolling during a meeting with numerous elected officials representing multiple muncipalities and schools boards in the county.The Greater Warren County Economic Development Council plans on building a coalition against tolling and develop a grassroots network among others who would be affected along the I-70 corridor. In addition, members will travel to Jefferson City and lobby lawmakers to prevent a tolling proposal from gaining more traction.A 2014 MoDOT report suggested turning I-70 into a toll road between Wentzville and Independence could be the best option to fix and expand the highway. The estimated cost is between $2 and $4 million, depending on the scope of the project.Officials insist the interstate can no longer accommodate increased traffic demands. When I-70 was built, it was intended to carry 12,000 to 18,000 vehicles per day. Now, an average of 28,000 vehicles travel on it every day.With a toll set at 10 to 15 cents per mile, the 200-mile trip would cost between $20 and $30. It’s estimated truck drivers would pay twice that amount.Should tolling move forward on I-70, Etcher said it will have a negative impact on the county and hurt economic growth, businesses, jobs and housing values. Also, it likely will cause motorists to begin using secondary roads not designed for heavier traffic loads to avoid paying a toll.Tolling won’t just hit the wallet each time a motorist gets on I-70. Rather, the impact will be felt at businesses like grocery stores and fast food restaurants.According to local leaders, all merchandise shipped in will have a toll mark-up as hauling companies pass on the cost to their customers.“If you start thinking about how the toll affects the cost of living, it will stun you,” said Wayne Baker, GWCEDC member and owner of Warrenton Oil.Etcher noted opponents have one year to state their case. In 2015, Missouri received a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration to impose and collect tolls on the I-70 corridor.Missouri could lose its pilot status if the tolling proposal does not move forward by the end of the year, according to Etcher.That is why Etcher stresses opponents must make their voices heard now. He encourages local residents to get involved by informing neighbors and contacting state legislators.“Our future really depends upon it,” Etcher said.Funding alternativesBelow are funding alternatives proposed by the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council that could help improve transportation in the state without imposing a toll on Interstate 70.• Increase the current state fuel tax (a 1-cent gas tax increase will generate $30 million annually; a 1-cent diesel fuel tax increase will generate $9.8 million a year)• Increase the current federal fuel tax.• Levy a sales tax dedicated to transportation.• Create a bonding mechanism for transportation projects.• Assess a user fee based on miles driven.• Tax all motor fuels equally—natural gas, electric, hydrogen, propane and others.• Dedicate a percent of state revenue growth to transportation.• Increase vehicle registration and license fees.Interstate 70