Stung by their inability to generate enough revenue through traditional sources to keep up with inflation and population growth, many southern states are now planning to build toll roads or to toll express lanes, USA Today reported. Examples include:

Georgia is planning an extensive network of High Occupancy/Toll lanes on freeways in metropolitan Atlanta such as Interstates 20, 75, 85, 285, and 575. The first project, converting an existing High Occupancy Vehicle lane in each direction of I-85 to a HOT lane with variable tolls for single-occupancy vehicles, is expected to be operational in 2011. The Georgia Department of Transportation recently repealed a ban on tolling existing lanes. (see Dec. 18 AASHTO Journal story)

Alabama is planning its first toll endeavor, a $710 million project that will add four toll lanes on a 16-mile stretch of U.S. 280 in Birmingham. The highway now carries almost twice the number of vehicles each day that it was designed to. The toll lanes are expected to relieve congestion.

Mississippi is planning a 12-mile tollway -- the state's first -- linking downtown Jackson with the airport and eastern suburbs.

North Carolina is building its first tollway, the Triangle Expressway, an 18.8-mile road in the Raleigh/Durham metropolitan area. The $1 billion project should open in 2011.

Texas has been out front of many of its southern neighbors when it comes to tolling. There are so many tollways planned in the Dallas region, however, that the North Texas Tollway Authority is raising concern about a public backlash. The authority's top officials have expressed worry that adding too many tolls too quickly could erode the one thing that makes them such a valuable tool in the first place: the willingness of drivers to pay the tolls, The Dallas Morning News reported. NTTA currently operates four toll roads in Dallas and Tarrant counties. It is expected to build two more tollways in the near future, while two privately owned toll roads are also likely to begin construction in the next 18 months.