[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

What I’m saying is what I posted earlier:



Nobody said they weren’t looking at tolls, but if you dig a bit deeper, you’ll see much of them are toll lanes or on rural stretches used mostly by pass through motorists. While a toll is a toll, the effect on residents will be very different than in CT.

That organization above wouldn’t exist if there weren’t tolls, so of course what they present should be considered carefully.

And as I posted Oregon is moving forward with tolling I-5 and I-205 which are existing highways. Jay

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting...n-to-feds.html

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You pay no more or less Federal gas tax than Connecticut residents do yet we pay tolls on your and other state’s roads. Out of state residents however only pay for the roads if they buy gas and that is statistically not many. How is that fair? Jay

This is one of the biggest issues. The state is trying to sell the idea of tolls as a way to soak out of state drivers. Their estimates have been 30-40% of revenue from out of staters. That still means CT residents are paying 60-70% of the tolls and that is the majority. It doesn't make sense to tax 2/3 of the CT driving population so we can tax 1/3 of the non CT driving population.


CT residents will always be paying the majority of the tolls. The state has also not released any data regarding how they calculated the out of state toll collection percentage.



There's also no reason that out of state residents can not just get a CT EZ pass and receive all the CT toll discounts. That's what I do with NY EZ pass. To cross the Whitestone bridge its $6.12 with EZ pass, cash or non NY EZ pass pay $9.50.


This article highlights some of the differences.


https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/...ey/3368189002/

[JGBigGreen]

To me, there is a huge difference in adding tolls to limited stretches of two existing highways in Oregon and adding tolls to the entire length of all the major highways in Connecticut. Night and day difference in the impact it will have on each state’s residents.

Originally Posted by JayCT

And as I posted Oregon is moving forward with tolling I-5 and I-205 which are existing highways. Jay

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting...n-to-feds.html

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

To me, there is a huge difference in adding tolls to limited stretches of two existing highways in Oregon and adding tolls to the entire length of all the major highways in Connecticut. Night and day difference in the impact it will have on each state’s residents.

I very much agree.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

To me, there is a huge difference in adding tolls to limited stretches of two existing highways in Oregon and adding tolls to the entire length of all the major highways in Connecticut. Night and day difference in the impact it will have on each state’s residents.

Same here. So many tolls. In MA there are tolls on the Mass Pike and that's it.

The major highway in MA is rte 128, which is a nightmare of traffic. But there are no tolls. You don't have to put tolls on everything. I know I would want tolls on I-84 because I always used to see the tie up of NY cars on the Mass Pike waiting to get onto I-84 and cruise through CT for absolutely free.

And why do the state workers have to be such a drag on the state's finances? Someone mentioned it but I don't know if their pay is out of line and why it would have to be. Or is it their pensions? Who gave them pensions that we can't afford to pay anyway?

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Same here. So many tolls. In MA there are tolls on the Mass Pike and that's it.

The major highway in MA is rte 128, which is a nightmare of traffic. But there are no tolls. You don't have to put tolls on everything. I know I would want tolls on I-84 because I always used to see the tie up of NY cars on the Mass Pike waiting to get onto I-84 and cruise through CT for absolutely free.

And why do the state workers have to be such a drag on the state's finances? Someone mentioned it but I don't know if their pay is out of line and why it would have to be. Or is it their pensions? Who gave them pensions that we can't afford to pay anyway?

Tolls on I-95 from NY border to New Haven. Tolls on I-91 to Hartford. Tolls on I-84 from Hartford to Massachusetts. 1 gantry every 2 exits.

[JayCT]

Some details of the Democrats plan for tolling have been released. It includes installing no more than 50 toll gantries on I-95, I-91, I-84 and portions of Route 15 at a peak rate of 4.4 cents per mile and an off peak rate of 3.5 cents. It also establishes a bipartisan Transportation Commission to administer the funds and set priorities much like the Transportation Strategy Commission used to do before it was eliminated. The most interesting part of their plan is to lower the gas tax. That actually could lower what some drivers in our state pay for transportation. I like a lot of this. Will see if the Legislature does too. Jay

https://www.ctinsider.com/local/ctpo...x-13854535.php

[JGBigGreen]

If the Democrats truly believe in the value of tolls why is Governor Lamont having to throw out pork projects for them to support his plan?

Originally Posted by JayCT

Some details of the Democrats plan for tolling have been released. It includes installing no more than 50 toll gantries on I-95, I-91, I-84 and portions of Route 15 at a peak rate of 4.4 cents per mile and an off peak rate of 3.5 cents. It also establishes a bipartisan Transportation Commission to administer the funds and set priorities much like the Transportation Strategy Commission used to do before it was eliminated. The most interesting part of their plan is to lower the gas tax. That actually could lower what some drivers in our state pay for transportation. I like a lot of this. Will see if the Legislature does too. Jay

https://www.ctinsider.com/local/ctpo...x-13854535.php

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

If the Democrats truly believe in the value of tolls why is Governor Lamont having to throw out pork projects for them to support his plan?

Its politics. Nobody is saying this is a popular idea so of course there are reservations. Since NO one has come up with a viable alternative to tolls to fund our transportation system, this is the best option. Sometimes you have to do what is best for the state and not what is most popular. Jay

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Its politics. Nobody is saying this is a popular idea so of course there are reservations. Since NO one has come up with a viable alternative to tolls to fund our transportation system, this is the best option. Sometimes you have to do what is best for the state and not what is most popular. Jay

Think the 3 biggest reason for the push against tolls is:

1.) How will they fund the installation of tolls.

2.) How can we trust the funds collected from tolls will go towards infrastructure and improvement of the State's public transportation.

3.) Why toll every highway. While some States only have one highway with tolls.