[Wilton2ParkAve]

You can circumvent tolls in the core of the state but it's a less valuable proposition. One mile of Route 1 and Scott free (using Greenwich as an examples) versus New Haven which is less familiar to out of staters. It's also not going to be a quick avoidance if the toll is applied to say the Q bridge

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

New Yorkers (and Mass) who work in the state are actually paying CT income taxes. No benefit will come from making our core business districts (Stamford and Hartford) less attractive to employers and employees.

I'm mainly referring to the weekend crowd - the folks who pass through from NYC to Cape Cod and from Boston to the Jersey Shore. They don't stop for gas. Don't pay income taxes. They do nothing for Connecticut except create traffic congestion.

I see what you mean about how putting tolls at the center of the state would 'get 'em', but you're also penalizing people who live/work in the state.

I don't think the hedge funds of Stamford and the massive insurance companies of Hartford give two hoots about tolls on the borders. It would be further incentive to get people to move closer to their work.

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

You can circumvent tolls in the core of the state but it's a less valuable proposition. One mile of Route 1 and Scott free (using Greenwich as an examples) versus New Haven which is less familiar to out of staters. It's also not going to be a quick avoidance if the toll is applied to say the Q bridge

You are aware that Route 1 parallels the Q bridge, right?

Either way you slice it, there is always a way around.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

I disagree. Basically you need to be confident that what the state earns in tolls more than offsets the loss in employees that elect to work closer home. It's very difficult to "tax" the weekend/vacationers without creating chaos. The cure in this case is worse than the disease. Also the constituency in question is not the major contributor to traffic. It's predominately office workers from both in and out of state. In state 95 commuters to Stamford would be the biggest bottlenecks. A victim of our success to some extent (emploment center with high comp) coupled with an insufficient highway infrastructure. Using NYC infrastructure and traffic as an example- tolls don't appear to remedy a ****ing thing.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I disagree. Basically you need to be confident that what the state earns in tolls more than offsets the loss in employees that elect to work closer home. It's very difficult to "tax" the weekend/vacationers without creating chaos. The cure in this case is worse than the disease. Also the constituency in question is not the major contributor to traffic. It's predominately office workers from both in and out of state. In state 95 commuters to Stamford would be the biggest bottlenecks. A victim of our success to some extent (emploment center with high comp) coupled with an insufficient highway infrastructure. Using NYC infrastructure and traffic as an example- tolls don't appear to remedy a ****ing thing.

You can't compare a city a millions to one of the smallest states in the country.

What "chaos" do you think will happen? And in today's world of high unemployment, there is always someone to fill a vacancy. Additionally if someone elects to resign over a $2/day toll, then they were not dedicated anyway. It's far easier to move closer to your job than to resign and find a new job, especially in 2012. What they have to do is price it so a motorist would rather spend x amount of dollars than go through the headache of finding an alternate route. I know if the toll were 2 bucks, I'd just EZPass it. You'd burn more gas trying to go around it than just paying the damned thing.

You're also forgetting the high tech tolls that are possible, and exist in NJ. Drive through at 55-60 MPH. Anyone who wants to pay cash is funneled off the side away from the highway. No bottleneck.

[JViello]

Double decker highway from Bridgeport to Stamford...that gets rid of the widening restrictions while doubling highway capacity, and tolls at the border with a free pass to CT plates so the out of staters pay for the use of our roads.

Why do I feel like the only person who's thinking about this outside of politics and emotional crap?

BTW Stylo and KidYankee I got your PM's, will reply asap.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Tell me where 95 is wide enough at the border to accomodate/siphon off cash payers? The chaos I'm referring to is the traffic near the border. Route 1, Byram, Danbury, stonington etc. both you and JV also have to realize that new tolls dramatically reduce federal highway funds. Will our tolls even make up the shortfall? I highly doubt that we will come out ahead. I've always liked the double decker idea, but more work needs to be done on the engineering side. Can you name another highly congested 25 mile stretch of highway in the US?

[ctwhitechin]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

You can't compare a city a millions to one of the smallest states in the country.

What "chaos" do you think will happen? And in today's world of high unemployment, there is always someone to fill a vacancy. Additionally if someone elects to resign over a $2/day toll, then they were not dedicated anyway. It's far easier to move closer to your job than to resign and find a new job, especially in 2012. What they have to do is price it so a motorist would rather spend x amount of dollars than go through the headache of finding an alternate route. I know if the toll were 2 bucks, I'd just EZPass it. You'd burn more gas trying to go around it than just paying the damned thing.

You're also forgetting the high tech tolls that are possible, and exist in NJ. Drive through at 55-60 MPH. Anyone who wants to pay cash is funneled off the side away from the highway. No bottleneck.

I drive over either the Whitestone or throgs neck bridge often enough to know that EZ pass helps a little with the traffic but a lot of times idiots still drive in the ez pass lane till almost the end then stop and try and sneak into the cash lane....so bottlenecking does occur. We already are taxed the most for our cars and almost the most for our fuel...tolls would be a nother way to pick our pockets death by 1000 cuts.

Ever wonder what let's say the triboro bridge or Whitestone, or Verrazano take in for $ in a week? Ever see the condition of those roads? Horrendous.... I would scoot around in Greenwich just on principle not to let them have my $ they already got $1000 almost for car taxes......

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by ctwhitechin

I drive over either the Whitestone or throgs neck bridge often enough to know that EZ pass helps a little with the traffic but a lot of times idiots still drive in the ez pass lane till almost the end then stop and try and sneak into the cash lane....so bottlenecking does occur. We already are taxed the most for our cars and almost the most for our fuel...tolls would be a nother way to pick our pockets death by 1000 cuts.

Ever wonder what let's say the triboro bridge or Whitestone, or Verrazano take in for $ in a week? Ever see the condition of those roads? Horrendous.... I would scoot around in Greenwich just on principle not to let them have my $ they already got $1000 almost for car taxes......

I'm talking about the EZ Pass 'Express' Lanes, not just the regular EZ Pass lanes.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Throw tolls up in Greenwich, Stonington, Danbury, Enfield and Union. I'm tired of being a sucker.

I'm all for it. Buncha freeloaders.

The one caveat is the money would HAVE to be used for transportation and nothing else.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by JViello

Double decker highway from Bridgeport to Stamford...that gets rid of the widening restrictions while doubling highway capacity, and tolls at the border with a free pass to CT plates so the out of staters pay for the use of our roads.

Why do I feel like the only person who's thinking about this outside of politics and emotional crap?

BTW Stylo and KidYankee I got your PM's, will reply asap.

Double decker is a great idea but I wonder what the cost would be.