This paper first briefly reviews the history of private roads. Then the functional
and economic classification of roadways is presented. Three
different classes of roads (local, linking, and limited access) need to be treated in very different ways. The ideology of
private roads is then presented. The political factors constraining this ideology from
taking root are then presented. Distributional effects associated with privatization are
described, and means for using the proceeds from the sale of roads to compensate losers
are presented. Prospects for the future of private roads are discussed in the conclusions.
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