Bill Filed To Let WYDOT Establish Tolling Program, Potentially Targeting I-80

Senate File 73 (SF0073) would give the Wyoming Department of Transportation authority to design and implement a highway tolling program, a change that could reopen debate about tolling Interstate 80 and other state highways. The bill itself does not name specific corridors, leaving legal, financial and operational questions unresolved for Albany County drivers, local businesses and truck-dependent industries.

Senator Ogden Driskill, R-Campbell, Crook and Weston, filed the measure on February 5, 2026 and framed the proposal as a response to safety and infrastructure pressure on I-80. Driskill wrote on social media: “A picture says it all, Wyoming needs to deal with I‑80 – incredibly dangerous stretch of road (400 plus miles) that drains nearly 1/2 of our state road budget, - to support 7,000 plus semis a day, primarily only stopping for fuel in Wyoming. I have introduced a bill that allows-NOT REQUIRES- tolling on I‑80. Done correctly it could have little or no impact on Wyoming drivers while having interstate truckers pay their fair share of damage and costs.” SF0073 states plainly that “WYDOT would have the authority to create a highway tolling program.”

Practical consequences for Albany County are uncertain. The bill does not specify which highways would be eligible, so officials cannot yet estimate potential revenue or the tolling footprint through Laramie or along commuter and commercial routes. Estimates of WYDOT’s funding shortfall vary in public reporting, roughly between $350 million and $400 million, a gap proponents say must be addressed as routine maintenance and safety work competes with heavy commercial vehicle wear.

Legal constraints complicate any move to toll I-80, a federal interstate. Most interstate segments are toll-free, with limited grandfathered exceptions, and the process for imposing tolls on an existing federal highway typically involves federal approvals and legal review. SF0073’s language grants state authority to create a program but does not resolve whether federal rules would permit tolling of I-80 or what approvals would be required.

Politics and precedent also matter. Wyoming has never had toll roads and remains among a small number of states with no toll infrastructure. Past proposals to toll I-80 and to raise fuel taxes have faced legislative resistance, suggesting any move would encounter significant debate at the Capitol. The bill lists co-sponsors that include Senators Case, Crum, Gierau, Landen and Schuler and Representative Larson, JT, but the official sponsor and co-sponsor roster should be confirmed on the legislative record as the measure advances.

WYDOT has also warned residents about fraudulent solicitations claiming to bill motorists for nonexistent tolls, advising people not to provide personal or financial information and to report suspicious messages to local law enforcement or the Wyoming Attorney General. As SF0073 moves through committee and floor consideration, Albany County residents should expect requests for WYDOT and federal clarification on interstate tolling rules, traffic and revenue modeling, and the precise highways under consideration. The next steps will be committee hearings, agency comments and, potentially, legal analysis that will determine whether tolling remains a theoretical option or becomes a concrete policy path.