Would You Pay for Better Roads?

Paying more at the tollbooth for better roads is a question being discussed in and around Chicago, which happens to be home to Cars.com’s headquarters. That’s because the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has come up with a plan that supposedly would decrease congestion and create jobs, but motorists would have to pay dearly for it. Or would they?

The plan includes $8.32 billion in road improvements to some of Chicago’s busiest highways and another $3.83 billion in brand-new highways, interchanges and ramps.

The project’s biggest part is the reconstruction of the Jane Addams Tollway — a turnpike that connects Chicago’s northwest suburbs to O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago, as well as serving as the throughway to Rockford, Ill. The road is in such a state of disrepair that ISTHA says 80% of the road surface is already in need of major repair. Speaking from personal experience, driving this highway is typically a nightmare.

Land Rover Range Rover: My Take

At a Land Rover event yesterday, I got the chance to sample a 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged, a Cars.com Best Bet. While I liked the vehicle, sadly, Mother Nature dumped snow all over the place and eliminated the other half of the Land Rover drive – the off-road part. Still, there was enough pavement driving to warrant the trip. (At least, that's what I'll tell the boss.)