Local Toll Road in the ATL, GA 400 was same deal. Toll from the Perimeter to downtown UNTIL PAID OFF.
Guess what? It got paid off and there was an election coming up. The public held the politicians feet to the fire. At news conferences the question was, are you going to keep the promise to drop the toll. Lot's of posturing about "Oh we need the money" but in the end they removed the toll. Of course it cost them a pretty penny to remove and redo the toll plaza, but the people won on that one. Small battle I know.