A toll road is a road upon which one must pay a fee or toll to drive. Collecting a toll for travel long predates the now traditional toll road one sees as a motorist. Charon, of Greek myth, required toll for passage into the underworld and crossing the Styx River. “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” is a very old fable where goats sport with and finally defeat a troll who wishes to eat one of the goats as toll for crossing a bridge.

Fortunately, the modern toll road generally does not require outwitting an ogre, though traffic congestion caused by a few types of toll road have been called nightmarish. The principle behind the toll road is that tolls collected help pay for repair and upkeep of the road. Such roads usually are not repaired by funds allocated by the state, county or county.

The toll road, which may also be called a turnpike, generally offers two systems for paying the toll. One is called a mainline or barrier toll system. As people exit or enter the toll road, they pay for using the road. Toll fees can vary but generally are not greater than five to ten US dollars (USD). The barrier form slows down traffic, since all must stop and pay the toll.

Some barrier toll systems only charge for using the road in one direction. Toll bridges like the Golden Gate Bridge charge only upon entry from the north of San Francisco. Those exiting San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge pay no toll.

Another form of toll road is called entry/exit. This form is rather like using a paying parking garage. Wherever one enters the road, one collects a ticket. When the driver exits the road he or she pays a toll calculated by how far the vehicle has traveled on the road. Using a longer stretch of this form of toll road frequently means paying a larger amount of money.

The toll road may not be part of the public road system. This is most common in other countries, but is not entirely uncommon in the US. For example, 17 Mile Drive, which stretches between Monterey and Carmel, California, requires a toll and is privately owned. One can go around this drive and use Highway 1 to get from Monterey to Carmel. However, using the toll road is well worth it if one enjoys sightseeing.

The driver who must frequent a toll road often resents having to stop in order to pay a toll. This has led to numerous toll road paying strategies for commuters. Some of these exist in the form of passes one purchases on a monthly basis. A flash of the pass allows one to quickly get through designated booths.

Some newer toll road systems are working with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) on cars and thus verifying that the toll is already provided for in a prepaid account. Some other toll road systems may photograph license plates and send users a monthly bill. Commuters may pay a lower amount for using the toll road almost every day.

For others, paying the toll still means slowing down and waiting in congested traffic. It can help to have one’s money out and available to make this process as painless as possible. Bringing exact change will also speed up waiting at the toll booth for everyone.