Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) officials know Pennsylvania roads are terrible. Apparently, PennDOT is attempting to give them a makeover, but not necessarily with the best method in mind.

PennDOT has been researching the possibility of putting tollbooths on Interstate 80 (I-80). The idea of the tollbooths came about 20 years ago, but has never come to fruition, and the idea is being discussed now without a decision.

There are quite a few things to consider when possibly implementing such a system. How expensive is it to put a large amount of tollbooths along a heavily traveled road?

"... [T]here would be a significant cost in creating the toll facilities," said Rich Kirkpatrick, PennDOT spokesman.

OK, so it would cost a pretty penny to implement.

Would the money eventually help improve Pennsylvania roads? Let's hope so, because officials have said there is a possibility of instituting 10 tollbooths spread about 30 miles apart. That's a rather large quantity of tolls and poses a potential inconvenience. It's very possible that I-80 could become extremely backed-up with vehicles stopping every 30 miles to pay a toll. That option is certainly questionable.

I-80 is one of the best-maintained roads in Pennsylvania. Will drivers be annoyed to drive on a road on which they may not necessarily see the results quickly? After all, a large construction project such as this may take many years to complete.

The money spent on tolls would ultimately be put back into other Pennsylvania roads. And most anyone who drives in Pennsylvania knows the roads could use some Band-Aids. But do Pennsylvanians want to dish out the money?

Considering I-80 is so heavily traveled by out-of-staters (a large majority of them truckers), wouldn't it be a better solution to charge just the truckers who mostly cause the damage in the first place? This is a measure other states have implemented.

The bottom line is, will Pennsylvanians see results? If so, maybe this is a move in the right direction. As some travelers may notice, crossing borders on I-80 into Ohio, reaching for the wallet is common, as I-80 in Ohio is tolled.

PennDOT should consider all possibilities before deciding on tolls. Pennsylvanians already pay a lot of money elsewhere; think about the people who travel through instead of the in-state commuters.