[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

....and although it seems likely prices will drop by summer (hopefully)...

My recollection of the years of 2000 and 2004, were that gas prices rose in each month leading up to the election. Almost as if big oil was thinking, "gee, we better squeeze out what we can while the current administration is in office". I won't be remotely surprised to see it over $4(throughout the state) from May to Nov.
We can always hope for a miracle, though. LOL

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

I agree. Bring back the tolls on I-95 and the Merritt. Add in I-84 from NY to Waterbury and Mass to Tolland.

I take it that you do not live near or use any one of these roads, otherwise I think you would be singing a different tune. Why should only these roads have tolls? What about I-91 or I-84 in the Hartford area? Or even Route 2 or Route 8 or Route 9 or Route 11 or I-395 or I-691 or I-291??? Why should people in these areas be allowed to use the roadways freely when others in the area you say should be tolled have to pay? Lets be fair here and institute tolls even throughout the state. That was the problem before, people in Fairfield County had tolls to pay but in the Hartford area there were only tolls on a couple of the bridges crossing the Connecticut River. Jay

[Srib]

Like there isn't enought congestion already - forget the tolls! They are gone for a reason.

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I take it that you do not live near or use any one of these roads, otherwise I think you would be singing a different tune. Why should only these roads have tolls? What about I-91 or I-84 in the Hartford area? Or even Route 2 or Route 8 or Route 9 or Route 11 or I-395 or I-691 or I-291??? Why should people in these areas be allowed to use the roadways freely when others in the area you say should be tolled have to pay? Lets be fair here and institute tolls even throughout the state. That was the problem before, people in Fairfield County had tolls to pay but in the Hartford area there were only tolls on a couple of the bridges crossing the Connecticut River. Jay

Border tolls. The thread originally was talking about truckers who pass through our state and don't pay gas taxes yet eat up our roads. Put the tolls at the borders like NH and Maine do on I-95.

[JayCT]

Like I said, I can just imagine how people in Greenwich would love the return of the toll station. Not to mention those in Stonington, Danbury, Union and Enfield. Jay

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

My recollection of the years of 2000 and 2004 were that gas prices rose in each month leading up to the election. Almost as if big oil was thinking, "gee, we better squeeze out what we can while the current administration is in office". I won't be remotely surprised to see it over $4 (throughout the state) from May to Nov.

We can always hope for a miracle, though. LOL

The national threat level was elevated as well before the elections in 2002 and 2004 based on "new"(?) intelligence.

[kidyankee784]

Originally Posted by Rich Lee

The national threat level was elevated as well before the elections in 2002 and 2004 based on "new"(?) intelligence.

And before every election, Osama Bin Forgotten pops up with a new video threat. Something tells me that if widespread bloodshed were really threatened on the citizens of the most powerful country in the world repeatedly, they'd be promptly found and brought to justice. It's psychological warfare - and it's working. But that's another thread.

It all comes down to politics.

On a side note, the price of gas has broken $4/gallon for regular in Darien ($4.17), New Canaan, Westport and Greenwich.

[kidyankee784]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I take it that you do not live near or use any one of these roads, otherwise I think you would be singing a different tune. Why should only these roads have tolls? What about I-91 or I-84 in the Hartford area? Or even Route 2 or Route 8 or Route 9 or Route 11 or I-395 or I-691 or I-291??? Why should people in these areas be allowed to use the roadways freely when others in the area you say should be tolled have to pay? Lets be fair here and institute tolls even throughout the state. That was the problem before, people in Fairfield County had tolls to pay but in the Hartford area there were only tolls on a couple of the bridges crossing the Connecticut River. Jay

This is why the original suggestion to put them at the state lines would be reasonable. Granted the people of Greenwich, Union, North Stonington and Danbury may not be happy - but those are some sacrifices that we, as a state, must make. We can't keep raising taxes while millions of out-of-state drivers contribute to the wear and tear of our roadways at no cost. As mentioned previously, most drivers don't even stop in CT for gas, so those [gas] tax dollars are, for the most part, coming solely from the residents of this state.

[JayCT]

I should note that some of the tolls on the New York State Thruway in Rockland County are just for trucks. Not sure how the Turnpike Authority made that happen. Seems unfair to toll trucks and not cars. I know that station use to toll cars years ago but was changed. Not sure how or if we could do something similar here. Jay

[Iska]

One view of toll roads:

Toll Roads Not The Answer!

Interesting riff on E-Z pass:

Automated Toll Roads Wrecking Bank Accounts, Marriages : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech