I-95 Toll hikes coming July 1 (Baltimore, Bowie: lease, to buy, construction)

[selhars]

Anyone always take the 'no toll' way from DC to the Philly area?

I'm sure it's just my initial reaction to hearing the toll is going up and feeling nickeled and dimed.......but in exchange for a half-hour longer trips -- that's 14.00 I could keep in my pocket. (minus cost of the additional gas usage for only about a 12 miles longer trip).

I do usually make the trip during the overnight hours so on one hand the additional 1/2 wouldn't be in traffic....on the other I really don't want to run into any nasty small town good old boys in uniform by myself, either.

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

The truth is that people of Harford and Cecil Counties are able to maintain their own infrastructure, including these two bridges on their own tax revenue. The state diverts too much gas tax money to the urban areas, especially toward mass transit. I seen two better options that the current state Maryland is in.

1, Keep the gas tax and the tolls constant.

2.. Raise the gas tax......and have a third Bay Bridge crossing built plus a new bridge to Ocean City plus upgrading Interstate 68 in Cumberland plus built a new wider Nice bridge in Southern Maryland, plus widen Interstate 81 in Hagerstown since the West Virginia and Pennsylvania portions are all 6 lanes already.

A few road projects are in the works thanks to the gas tax. Md. governor signs gas tax, announces projects

—$82 million for construction on the U.S. 15/Monocacy Boulevard interchange in Frederick County.
—$125 million for construction on the I-270/Watkins Mill Road Interchange in Montgomery County.
—$100 million for construction on Maryland 210 at Kerby Hill Road/Livingston Road Interchange in Prince George's County.
—$20 million for design of a new Thomas Johnson Bridge in Calvert and St. Mary's counties.
—$100 million for MARC enhancements in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., regions.
—$60 million for construction on Leeds Avenue Interchange reconstruction and bridge replacement in Baltimore County.
—$49 million for Aberdeen Proving Ground BRAC Intersection improvement in Harford County.
—$44 million for construction on U.S. 301/Maryland 304 Interchange in Queen Anne's County.

The MdTA maintains all of the toll facilities in the state. They are the ones who keep up with the infrastructure including I-95 from mile marker 49 all the way to the Delaware border. They do this with toll revenue. The ICC was built mostly on revenue bonds that must be paid back. The MdTA is currently looking into the 301 bridge.

Criminals most likely commit crimes in areas they are familiar with anyway. They are not going to travel far nor do most of them use transit to commit their crime. Have you ever see someone with an HDTV on a train? Everyone thinks that criminals are from the city when in reality, they probably live right down the street from you. People in the suburbs can't accept that their neighborhood is just as prone to crime as in the city. Transit does not create crime but just like anywhere, people need to be more mindful of their surroundings. At the same time, transit can be convenient for some as they do not want to spend money on gas and car maintenance.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Physxius its not about criminals who take mass transit to the scene of the crime. That is NOT the issue here. The issue is that having mass transit, like with Cockeysville and Linthicum and now Woodlawn with the REd Line, opens suburban areas up to city people who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford to move there due to not being able to afford a car to get around. Yes, lack of mass transit keeps certain people from moving to an area, and these are typicall people you don't want living around you anyway. This is especially true in the Baltimore area. People in Carroll County are VERY smart to oppose any kind of mass transit and any plans to make their area more "affordable". You do NOT want to live in an area that gangsters and illegal immigrants can afford, that gangsters and illegal aliens who can't afford a car are able to live in.

Mass transit opens an area up to people from the city, and to illegal immigrants, to settle there, this allows the ghetto culture to take root in these suburban communities. Then this suburb becomes an environment that nurtures and incubates the criminal element......which as you mention sticks to areas they are familiar with. Mass transit doesn't bring criminals from the city, but it allows for a homegrown crime and ghetto element to form, and this element sticks to the area that gave rise to it. The same is true for Section 8 housing allowing less desirable individuals to move to suburban areas.

[selhars]

I'm no fan of public transit. But mass transit or no mass transit -- I think it's only smart to live in the most expensive area one can afford.

That doesn't keep ALL riff-raff out. But enough of it.

To a certain extent I agree with Tom.

[avg12]

Originally Posted by selhars

Anyone always take the 'no toll' way from DC to the Philly area?

I'm sure it's just my initial reaction to hearing the toll is going up and feeling nickeled and dimed.......but in exchange for a half-hour longer trips -- that's 14.00 I could keep in my pocket. (minus cost of the additional gas usage for only about a 12 miles longer trip).

I do usually make the trip during the overnight hours so on one hand the additional 1/2 wouldn't be in traffic....on the other I really don't want to run into any nasty small town good old boys in uniform by myself, either.

Don't do it. It's more than a 1/2 hour inconvenience and detour. I've done it and both times I regretted it. Driving from Baltimore or DC to Philly via Route 1 to avoid that toll is very inconvenient. It makes zero sense if one has to go to Southern NJ.

It's only bearable if one is going to one of a few areas in the western suburbs of the Philly region, like West Chester or Kennett Square.

Unfortunately, there are not that many low cost options via bus, esp. from those in Philly that need to get into to the Baltimore region. To DC, there are more choices, but for Baltimore, there is pretty much only Amtrak.

The Baltimore City Greyhound stop is ghetto. Nothing around and pretty expensive taking a cab into the city. For a low fare out of BWI, I'd consider taking Greyhound and a cab to BWI, but it'd have to be atleast $150 less on that outbound and I'd fly back into PHL, as it's too ghetto sticking around and waiting to depart out of the Baltimore Greyhound bus station.

With the tolls, gas and car wear and tear, it's rare that's it's a deal to fly out of BWI over PHL.

MegaBus goes to White Marsh, which is inconvenient, i.e. not near rail or anything. But it's convenient for the Baltimore region, esp. those that live in Baltimore County, who can park and ride. It is suited for the Baltimore region that needs to go northbound, but the lack of facilities there will only bring a few into the Baltimore region.

BoltBus, which is more central in Baltimore City and not in the ghetto, for whatever reason, doesn't want to service Baltimore to Philly.

I know people up in Allentown go through Reading then Lancaster then York into the Baltimore region.

[tarp]

You can easily save the $5 toll at the Delaware/Maryland border by getting off the last exit in MD (Route 279 north), turn right on Christina Parkway then right on 896, then get back on I-95 north. That helps ease the pain. You used to be able to buy a decal for $10 that would let you cross the Hatem Bridge (US-40) an unlimited number of times for a year, but they got rid of that, however you can still get a Maryland EZ-Pass and add the Hatem Bridge package to it and accomplish the same result. If you travel that way frequently, this may be the way to go. I agree that Route 1 is a major detour and a hassle unless you're going to western Philly suburbs.

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by selhars

I'm no fan of public transit. But mass transit or no mass transit -- I think it's only smart to live in the most expensive area one can afford.

That doesn't keep ALL riff-raff out. But enough of it.

To a certain extent I agree with Tom.

That isn't what Tom initially argued about.

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

With the current plan our taxes go up and unless you live in the ghetto in Baltimore City (people in suburban Baltimore will never take mass transit for safety reasons trust me I know) or in Montgomery COunty you get NOTHING in return.

What does that have to do with people not willing to take mass transit due to safety issue if the main issue is "certain" people from the city having access to other parts of the region and not criminals going to the scene of the crime? No one uses mass transit to move out. They use it to get from point A to point B and then back to A.

Anyway back on OP, US 1 is the only non-toll route to cross the Susquehanna River but I don't think it is worth the detour. If someone was to use US 1, I recommend they get on it early like at Exit 74 rather than wait until Exit 89 "last exit before toll". You'll notice the signage in yellow.

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by tarp

You can easily save the $5 toll at the Delaware/Maryland border by getting off the last exit in MD (Route 279 north), turn right on Christina Parkway then right on 896, then get back on I-95 north. That helps ease the pain. You used to be able to buy a decal for $10 that would let you cross the Hatem Bridge (US-40) an unlimited number of times for a year, but they got rid of that, however you can still get a Maryland EZ-Pass and add the Hatem Bridge package to it and accomplish the same result. If you travel that way frequently, this may be the way to go. I agree that Route 1 is a major detour and a hassle unless you're going to western Philly suburbs.

That's what I do except when it's dark. I'll go ahead and pay the toll then. Last time I drove there, a cop was sitting past the Northeast corridor overpass near the University of Delaware. Unlike the Route 1 detour, this isn't out of the way.

[tarp]

Why does it matter if it's dark? Just don't speed on Route 896 in Newark or on Christina Parkway and you'll be fine. I've never seen cops running speedtraps on 279, but I'm sure it happens sometimes.

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by tarp

Why does it matter if it's dark? Just don't speed on Route 896 in Newark or on Christina Parkway and you'll be fine. I've never seen cops running speedtraps on 279, but I'm sure it happens sometimes.

It doesn't matter. I just haven't had the opportunity to use it at dark. I have to be familiar with the road before I start driving on it at night. I've only use the route twice. I've only discovered the route last summer.


I saw the cop during the day along Christina Parkway. I was just letting everyone else know.