SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Legislature has given approval to expanding the state’s authority to toll roads in the state.

The Senate cast a unanimous vote on Thursday morning for Senate President Wayne Niederhauser’s bill that expands the state’s ability to toll roads across Utah.

The state has already had the authority, but this expands the ability to use new technologies to collect tolls and the state’s ability to implement tolls on existing roads. FOX 13 first reported on the bill in January.

Sen. Niederhauser, R-Sandy, said tolling is necessary to deal with increased traffic congestion on roads and declines in the gasoline tax, which pays for road repairs. The bill now goes to Gov. Gary Herbert for his signature or veto.

If signed into law, the Senate President has said he’d like to see a toll road in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and maybe Big Cottonwood. He told reporters on Wednesday that toll roads could be in place by 2020.