The Private Provision of Roads : Solutions to the Apparent Monopoly Power of Private Road Commissions

This paper examines the private provision of road. One could imagine that private road commissions would act as a monopoly, charging prices in excess of competitive levels, restricting access to the roads, and failing to maintain their roads at a competitive standard. To analyze this claim, I will examine the viability of private toll roads throughout the 19th century America. Despite the apparent efforts of the local government to thwart such activity, natural competitive checks existed that prevented private road companies from engaging in monopolistic behavior