Tolls on CT Highways

[MadVlad]

The Governor has a chance to OK a study on whether CT highways should have tolls. Tolls were removed, I believe in 1983, but are now going to be proposed again.

Discuss.

[Recchia]

Weren't they removed because they were costing more to operate than they took in?

Overall, I think congestion on 95 in soutwest Connecticut is already to bad to consider putting tolls in, maybe elsewhere.

[Bill Mocarsky]

When I travel from Maine to Washinton DC, I already have to pay enough tolls. There are tolls on the Maine, New Hampshire and Mass turnpikes. Then I need to pay tolls on the New York bridges, Jersey turnpike, Delaware Memorial bridge, Maryland turnpike and Baltimore tunnels. Enough is enough. I don't need another state taking my money.

[drc72]

Weren't they removed because they were costing more to operate than they took in?

Overall, I think congestion on 95 in soutwest Connecticut is already to bad to consider putting tolls in, maybe elsewhere.

[runawayjim]

Weren't they removed because they were costing more to operate than they took in?

[runawayjim]

When I travel from Maine to Washinton DC, I already have to pay enough tolls. There are tolls on the Maine, New Hampshire and Mass turnpikes. Then I need to pay tolls on the New York bridges, Jersey turnpike, Delaware Memorial bridge, Maryland turnpike and Baltimore tunnels. Enough is enough. I don't need another state taking my money.

[Bill Mocarsky]

Overall, I think congestion on 95 in soutwest Connecticut is already to bad to consider putting tolls in, maybe elsewhere.

[runawayjim]

Are the trains in southwest CT getting overcrowded too?

[Bill Mocarsky]

metro north trains have been overcrowded for several years now, and MTA just keeps raising prices rather than diong something about the actual problem. the problem is that they can't do double decker trains because the tunnels under grand central are too low.

[runawayjim]

Can they add more trains?

[Bill Mocarsky]

Thousands of motor vehicles traveling between Boston and New York are passing through Connecticut (which there is no practical way to avoid) at any one time. Thousands more whose destinations range from Florida to Maine travel through Connecticut as well.

We wouldn't want to disappoint them, would we?

Connecticut might be able to do without the tolls if it is OK for the residents and businesses to pay a little more in taxes.

[runawayjim]

Thousands of motor vehicles traveling between Boston and New York are passing through Connecticut (which there is no practical way to avoid) at any one time. Thousands more whose destinations range from Florida to Maine travel through Connecticut as well.

We wouldn't want to disappoint them, would we?

Connecticut might be able to do without the tolls if it is OK for the residents and businesses to pay a little more in taxes.

[MadVlad]

disappoint the people traveling between states? you're joking, right? they're traveling through CT free of charge, adding wear and tear on CT's roads. that's a lot of money the state of CT could put in its pockets if tolls came back. and that's a decent savings in taxes as well (it could go towards lowering the gas tax too).

[runawayjim]

I bet if we get tolls on our highways our taxes don't drop one red penny. In fact, I guarantee it....

[MadVlad]

that'd be something you'd have to take up with the general assembly.

[runawayjim]

You seem to be under the impression that this will reduce taxes. Never has anyone, anywhere, other than you, stated that this is to be done to reduce taxes on anyone. This is to fund other projects. You need to pay attention, Jim......

[MadVlad]

it could go towards funding more mass transit and road repairs and give the state extra money for something else, and in the long run, could go towards lowering taxes.

[runawayjim]

That's an assumption on your part. I have a better chance of seeing Jesus Christ come floating out of the clouds than see highway tolls reduce our taxes...

[MadVlad]

that's how they'll promote the tolls, and then it's up to the people to keep a watch on the GA (which is what the people should be doing, that's how a democracy works).

[runawayjim]

And why exactly do you assume that? Let me guess, you just assume that's what will happen...

[mikel]

Toll the crap out of the highways and pump that money into commuter rail.

[MadVlad]

Toll the crap out of the highways and pump that money into commuter rail.

[Recchia]

The way I see it, if you put in tolls, especially on 95, then they better increase service somehow on the metro north and shoreline east trains to capture those who don't want to deal with the increased congestion and cost of using 95. You can't worsen the efficiency of one mode without increasing the efficiency of another, IMO.

[Bill Mocarsky]

I would put tolls entering the state on both ends of I-84 and I-95 and possibly I-395. You would be able to travel inside the state without being tolled. You would also be able to exit the state without being tolled.

I wouldn't bother putting a toll on I-91. I think we can work with Springfield on that one.

[drc72]

I bet if we get tolls on our highways our taxes don't drop one red penny. In fact, I guarantee it....