The Federal Highway would gross about $20 million a year, which would just about service the debt on the $220 million to construct it.
The road would never be paid off and there would be no provision for collection costs.
It could only partially fund the road. To fully fund it with a normal private-sector repayment schedule, you might be looking at a toll greater than $10. At that level, market forces start attracting cars down the byways.
A very determined toll avoider with more time than sense could avoid paying a toll on the Federal Highway.
It is 94km from the outskirts of Goulburn to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.
The eastern option for the toll-evader would follow the railway: Tirranaville, Lake Bathurst, Tarago, Bungendore, Burbong, Queanbeyan, Canberra. The 118km is all sealed. The extra 24km would cost say $1.80 in petrol. However, our toll-evader gets a more scenic route: picturesque railway stations dating from the early years of the century or earlier; black swans on Lake Bathurst; the unique Tarago pub; and across the divide before hitting Queanbeyan.
The western option is only slightly longer, but includes 12kms of dirt: branch off at Collector, down to Gundaroo and then either down to Sutton rejoining the Federal Highway just north of Canberra or going down through Gungahlin and on to the Barton Highway.
By the time you have repaired the puncture on the dirt and stopped at the Gundaroo Store for an ice-cream, the toll saving is gone.
You would only take the alternatives for the view.