[JayCT]

Interesting but kind of sad article on the dying job of toll collectors. Soon there will be none. Another casualty of technology. Jay

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/n...ollectors.html

[JayCT]

This is a very interesting opinion piece about Connecticut’s history of funding transportation. While it is pro-tolls, it contains a lot of important facts on our history with the gas tax and tolls and why mistakes made in the past (like the 1975 elimination of the original Special Transportation Fund or 14 cent cut of the gas tax in the late 90’s) are coming back to bite us today. Whether you support tolls or are opposed to them, it provides the much needed background to make an informed decision on our future. Jay

https://ctmirror.org/category/ct-vie...ed-them-again/

[1000fc]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This is a very interesting opinion piece about Connecticut’s history of funding transportation. While it is pro-tolls, it contains a lot of important facts on our history with the gas tax and tolls and why mistakes made in the past (like the 1975 elimination of the original Special Transportation Fund or 14 cent cut of the gas tax in the late 90’s) are coming back to bite us today. Whether you support tolls or are opposed to them, it provides the much needed background to make an informed decision on our future. Jay

https://ctmirror.org/category/ct-vie...ed-them-again/

"To compensate for the loss of toll revenue, the state gasoline tax increased dramatically over the next few years, from 25 cents to 39 cents per gallon. As with the current toll issue, the increase in gas taxes soon became a political football, and by the late 1990s, the state had acquiesced to public pressure, and reduced the gas tax by 14 cents a gallon, without replacing the income needed to fund the state’s ongoing transportation commitments. As a result, projects scheduled for the early 2000s were cancelled or postponed.

Commenting on the high cost of ConnDOT’s current LET’S GO CT plan, the Finance Panel noted: “if the gas tax had not been reduced, the STF would have been able to execute on hundreds of projects that are now part of Connecticut’s backlog, and the price tag for LET’S GO CT would be significantly lower.” The new tolls proposed for Connecticut highways are in a way an effort to replace the stream of gas tax revenues lost in the 1990s. Also, as the Finance Panel noted, that alone will likely not be sufficient to keep the STF solvent for the next 15 years. A gas tax increase “back to the 1990s rate of 39¢ per gallon” was also recommended."

[JayCT]

The Reason Foundation has issued a report the indicates that Connecticut ranks 44th in cost effectiveness and condition of its highways. CTDOT has rightly issued a statement disputing their study. Most of CTDOT’s projects now are expensive bridge or interchange projects that drive the lane-mile cost way up. It is unfair to compare states with miles and miles of at grade highway through rural area projects to multiple bridge projects in densely populated areas. I sent an email to the authors of the study noting this but have not received a reply. If I do I will share it. Jay

https://www.ctinsider.com/politics/c...g-14379524.php

[clutchrider]

Confirmed another reason why we love living in Wallingford. The access to highways and options for routes around the state make it so much better. We went to the Dinosaur Place this weekend and instead of going down to 95-395 and dealing with beach and vacation traffic we hiked up 91 and jumped to Route 2. I've never taken that road before but it was quiet, pretty, and a very easy ride. The mileage is more to get where we wanted to go but the travel time was the same and definitely something I am keeping in mind when we head that way in the future.

The only thing we need is the state to get back on track with the E. Center St. bridge that has been a derelict construction site for awhile now as they deal with bureaucrats. I do also appreciate that the parkway is getting some much needed attention with their entrance/exit ramps. It almost looks like they are putting a new set of ramps between NH and Orange.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by clutchrider

Confirmed another reason why we love living in Wallingford. The access to highways and options for routes around the state make it so much better. We went to the Dinosaur Place this weekend and instead of going down to 95-395 and dealing with beach and vacation traffic we hiked up 91 and jumped to Route 2. I've never taken that road before but it was quiet, pretty, and a very easy ride. The mileage is more to get where we wanted to go but the travel time was the same and definitely something I am keeping in mind when we head that way in the future.

The only thing we need is the state to get back on track with the E. Center St. bridge that has been a derelict construction site for awhile now as they deal with bureaucrats. I do also appreciate that the parkway is getting some much needed attention with their entrance/exit ramps. It almost looks like they are putting a new set of ramps between NH and Orange.

Those on ramps are perilous. Along with the exit by Main Ave in Norwalk.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Just gassed up for $2.01 in Florida this past weekend - while CT continues to hover close to $3. We clearly don’t need tolls with that much spread. Plenty of cushion for every infrastructure project! So much waste....

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

Just gassed up for $2.01 in Florida this past weekend - while CT continues to hover close to $3. We clearly don’t need tolls with that much spread. Plenty of cushion for every infrastructure project! So much waste....

Connecticut’s gas tax is $0.43.5 per gallon. Florida’s gas tax is $0.41.4 per gallon. Clearly the difference in price goes beyond higher gas taxes. Connecticut is No. 7 in gas tax while Florida is No. 10. Florida’s Transportation Department also gets a significant amount of additional money from its enormous tourist industry through taxes on rental cars and air travel. Plus Florida has tolls on its highways. It’s not exactly a fair comparison. Jay

https://247wallst.com/special-report...st-gas-taxes-5

https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.ne...ingsources.pdf

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

Just gassed up for $2.01 in Florida this past weekend - while CT continues to hover close to $3. We clearly don’t need tolls with that much spread. Plenty of cushion for every infrastructure project! So much waste....

In central CT I've been paying around 2.50 a gallon. Gas prices vary around the country for a variety of reasons, capacity of refinery, transport costs etc.

[KEVIN_224]

$2.479 this morning at Citgo on CT Route 372 in Berlin. As for Florida, their prices will likely trend up (gouge?) on the holiday weekend, depending on what Hurricane Dorian does.