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I see no reason why car drivers should get a free ride on highways. It seems to me a $4.00 each way toll on Route 95 would be a great way of raising needed revenue. That revenue could go to improve RIPTA, or, better yet, build light rail in Providence. It's time that car moochers paid their fair share!
I see no reason why car drivers should get a free ride on highways. It seems to me a $4.00 each way toll on Route 95 would be a great way of raising needed revenue. That revenue could go to improve RIPTA, or, better yet, build light rail in Providence. It's time that car moochers paid their fair share!
Drivers already pay a user fee called the "gasoline tax" which is supposed to be used to keep the roads up. RIPTA, Amtrak and the MBTA are heavily subsidized by everybody including those who never use them. Everyone uses the roads (even the non-drivers).
How would a $4 toll help tourism and bring business into RI?
The state would lose federal highway dollars were it to happen. Toll collectors would need to be hired and all sorts of new administrative costs. Doesn't sound like a good plan at all.
I see no reason why car drivers should get a free ride on highways. It seems to me a $4.00 each way toll on Route 95 would be a great way of raising needed revenue. That revenue could go to improve RIPTA, or, better yet, build light rail in Providence. It's time that car moochers paid their fair share!
I believe the money raised through tolls on the Interstate can only be used for maintenance and improvement of the respective Interstate section. It's not possible to put up toll booths so a state can funnel the money into other ailing ventures.
If you think about it, this legislation does make a modicum of sense since it protects the spirit of the Interstate system. However, it might be time to re-think this system, but that's for the legislature in DC and we all know how well that works these days.
I believe the money raised through tolls on the Interstate can only be used for maintenance and improvement of the respective Interstate section. It's not possible to put up toll booths so a state can funnel the money into other ailing ventures.
If you think about it, this legislation does make a modicum of sense since it protects the spirit of the Interstate system. However, it might be time to re-think this system, but that's for the legislature in DC and we all know how well that works these days.
Rhode Island had the chance to toll it's interstates when they were first planned and built. We chose not to unlike our neighboring Northeast states. Now the Feds limit tolling on already built highways. They have devised a lottery system to choose states that request tolling on their already built hgwys, but each state has to show need for monies for the maintainence of their system. We can toll state roads and obviously bridges that are not on the interstate system. Route 146 would be a prime example of a road that could be tolled and improved to interstate standards. The down side of this is that some traffic would move to lessor roads to avoid tolls. I'm neither for or against this idea, but we certainly don't look at a toll as a detriment to any traveling we do. We have paid tribute to all the other Northeast States and Middle Atlantic States in support of their interstates, perhaps it is their time to support our infrastructure.
The state would lose federal highway dollars were it to happen. Toll collectors would need to be hired and all sorts of new administrative costs. Doesn't sound like a good plan at all.
Upside: well-paid, unionized toll workers. You have to look at the bright side of life once in a while.
Quote:
Originally Posted by massnative71
Drivers already pay a user fee called the "gasoline tax" which is supposed to be used to keep the roads up. RIPTA, Amtrak and the MBTA are heavily subsidized by everybody including those who never use them. Everyone uses the roads (even the non-drivers).
How would a $4 toll help tourism and bring business into RI?
Yes, everyone indirectly uses roads but directly pays for it. You think the Eastside Market doesn't include in their price for yogurt the cost of shipping, whether via rail or road?
The gas tax total revenue has fallen as cars have become more efficient. Time to raise that tax, too. Too much car freeloading is afoot in this country. Tourists are used to paying tolls. It costs $12 round-trip to use the George Washington Bridge in NYC, $13 round-trip for the Lincoln Tunnel. You don't see NYC folding, do you? My modest proposal for a $4 each-way toll is peanuts in comparison for the privilege of taking Rhode Island's Route 95!
The subsidies to Amtrak and public transport are way insufficient.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollytree
This has been proposed and the FEDs turned us down.
Well we'll just have to put our foot down, won't we? Let's go all Reverse Tea Bagger over it.
Last edited by CaseyB; 10-14-2013 at 03:46 AM..
Reason: rude
is peanuts in comparison for the privilege of taking Rhode Island's Route 95!
I had to go back and read that 10 times over and I'm still laughing!
Let's expand on that:
How bout a $5 toll each way at the Thurbers Ave. curve (for the privilege of driving around it). weeee....!
There should be a higher premium for the whole Warwick-Pawtucket stretch in regards to the knuckleheads in their rice rockets trying to kill everybody. I guess those who can do without can retreat to 295 (before that gets tolled as well).
Tolls are wasteful, inefficient, polluting and the worst way of funding the roads. They also cause an immense headache for the local roads as people drive out of there way to avoid (see Rte. 1 in the Hampton, NH area).
Rhode Island had the chance to toll it's interstates when they were first planned and built. We chose not to unlike our neighboring Northeast states. Now the Feds limit tolling on already built highways. They have devised a lottery system to choose states that request tolling on their already built hgwys, but each state has to show need for monies for the maintainence of their system. We can toll state roads and obviously bridges that are not on the interstate system. Route 146 would be a prime example of a road that could be tolled and improved to interstate standards. The down side of this is that some traffic would move to lessor roads to avoid tolls. I'm neither for or against this idea, but we certainly don't look at a toll as a detriment to any traveling we do. We have paid tribute to all the other Northeast States and Middle Atlantic States in support of their interstates, perhaps it is their time to support our infrastructure.
CT abolished its tolls years ago realizing the unneeded congestion they caused.
Improving 146 is I'm sure not a priority to the state for many reasons.
I got a radical idea for the roads, how about using the gas tax entirely for its intended purpose?
The driving distance on Rt. 95 from Pawtucket RI/Attleboro MA to Westerly RI is only 50 miles. Can't put many toll booths in that small area. 2 at the most, and the scenery from Pawt. to Warwick is not exactly a tourist attraction.
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