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Tolls on CT Highways


MadVlad

Should CT have Tolls?  

15 members have voted

  1. 1. Should CT have tolls?

    • Yes
      9
    • No
      6


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The roads which definitely need tolls are I-84 and I-95. That has a majority of out-of-state traffic on them. If you live in Stonington or Greenwich or Danbury, you know to take Route 1 and Route 6/202 respectively instead.

The only disagreement I would have is I-395. If 395 was tolled, I wouldn't do it right at the state line at Thompson. Very few long distance travelers are going to stop in the northeast corner. To effectively toll the out-of-staters heading for the casino while not hurting the locals going towards Mass., put the plaza somewhere between Route 6 and Route 14. It's far enough north to be close to the state line, but south enough to get casino traffic.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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Connecticut currently has one of the highest gas taxes in the country. Since the state currently does not operate any tolls, Connecticut residents are the ones almost exclusively subsidizing the state's expressways and highways when they purchase gas. Many out-of-state travelers that pass through Connecticut purchase gas in neighboring states where the price is cheaper.

I recommend bringing back tolls not because I think they would reduce the gas tax per se. Rather, I recommend bringing back tolls because I think they would reduce the state's dependency on the gas tax. Furthermore, I think out-of-state travelers should be contributing more to the upkeep of the roads they utilize.

Therefore, I propose installing three toll booths in Connecticut. A northbound booth on I-95 in Greenwich immediately past Exit 2 (where the original Turnpike toll booth stood), a northbound booth on the Merritt Parkway in Greenwich immediately past the service area (where the original Parkway toll booth stood), and a southbound toll booth on I-395 just after the merge with the unsigned part of the old Connecticut Turnpike.

Of course, the state could also install a toll booth on the one-mile section of I-684 that passes through Greenwich without any exits into Connecticut... :thumbsup:

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Connecticut currently has one of the highest gas taxes in the country. Since the state currently does not operate any tolls, Connecticut residents are the ones almost exclusively subsidizing the state's expressways and highways when they purchase gas. Many out-of-state travelers that pass through Connecticut purchase gas in neighboring states where the price is cheaper.

I recommend bringing back tolls not because I think they would reduce the gas tax per se. Rather, I recommend bringing back tolls because I think they would reduce the state's dependency on the gas tax. Furthermore, I think out-of-state travelers should be contributing more to the upkeep of the roads they utilize.

Therefore, I propose installing three toll booths in Connecticut. A northbound booth on I-95 in Greenwich immediately past Exit 2 (where the original Turnpike toll booth stood), a northbound booth on the Merritt Parkway in Greenwich immediately past the service area (where the original Parkway toll booth stood), and a southbound toll booth on I-395 just after the merge with the unsigned part of the old Connecticut Turnpike.

Of course, the state could also install a toll booth on the one-mile section of I-684 that passes through Greenwich without any exits into Connecticut... :thumbsup:

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if you're gonna put toll booths in CT, they need to go on both sides of the state. i would suggest, as madvlad mentioned, one on 95 south in stonington (before you get to exit 92, because that's the foxwoods exit). i would also suggest them on both ends of 84 and on 91 near the MA border.

i think it might also be beneficial to put them in some of the lower traffic areas in the middle of the state as well. maybe 95 north and south in the milford/orange area, 95 north and south in say guilford/madison, and 95 north and south near the old lyme/east lyme town line. leave 395 free of tolls except near the MA line, but put them both north and south. i'd put one on 91 somewhere between new haven and meriden, being the only other one besides the MA border. and i'd put one on 84 between hartford and waterbury.

i do have a question about the strip of 684... is CT responsible for the upkeep if there are no exits or on ramps in CT? that wouldn't make any sense to me if CT gets absolutely no benefit from it.

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I-684 in Connecticut is maintained and operated by the State of New York. New York troopers also patrol the Connecticut stretch. However, it is my understanding that Connecticut owns the right of way and New York cannot do any major work on I-684 (like widening) without Connecticut's approval.

Anyway, the I-684 toll proposal was a joke...

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I-684 in Connecticut is maintained and operated by the State of New York. New York troopers also patrol the Connecticut stretch. However, it is my understanding that Connecticut owns the right of way and New York cannot do any major work on I-684 (like widening) without Connecticut's approval.

Anyway, the I-684 toll proposal was a joke...

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Here would be my suggestions for tolls...

I-84: at Danbury between Exits 1-2, at Union between exits 73-74.

I-91: none

I-95: at Greenwich just after Exit 2, at Stonington between RI line and Exit 92

I-395: at Plainfield, between Exits 89-90*

* - I may be biased because I'm originally from Thompson, but there's quite a bit of local traffic crossing the border ... especially from CT into MA and back. The tolls would still benefit the state in Plainfield the same as if they were further north, because long range travelers from north and east don't stop in the far northeast of CT. But the southern location doesn't screw the people of far northeastern CT who don't need more screwing anyway.

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Here would be my suggestions for tolls...

I-84: at Danbury between Exits 1-2, at Union between exits 73-74.

I-91: none

I-95: at Greenwich just after Exit 2, at Stonington between RI line and Exit 92

I-395: at Plainfield, between Exits 89-90*

* - I may be biased because I'm originally from Thompson, but there's quite a bit of local traffic crossing the border ... especially from CT into MA and back. The tolls would still benefit the state in Plainfield the same as if they were further north, because long range travelers from north and east don't stop in the far northeast of CT. But the southern location doesn't screw the people of far northeastern CT who don't need more screwing anyway.

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I-684 in Connecticut is maintained and operated by the State of New York. New York troopers also patrol the Connecticut stretch. However, it is my understanding that Connecticut owns the right of way and New York cannot do any major work on I-684 (like widening) without Connecticut's approval.

Anyway, the I-684 toll proposal was a joke...

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There is a little green sign saying "Entering Greenwich, Connecticut" or "Leaving Greenwich, Connecticut" with the outline of the state borders on the background. It's similar to signs you would see driving into town or village centers on primary roads non-highway. There are occasions I'm driving down 684 and don't even see those two signs, but only know where I am by noting the particular mile markers. I think Greenwich is MM 5.2 to MM 6.4, or something near there.

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  • 4 months later...

Tolls make sense from a business standpoint...NOT from a taxpayers standpoint. It could make sense in Connecticut but never will. Here is why:

For years up to today, motorists from outside of CT drive THROUGH our tiny state without buying our gas or paying any tolls...when driving north through Hartford they say "I will just go 30 miles north and fuel up in Springfield,MA for 20 cents per gallon cheaper"

Likewise, Connecticut residents (not stupid either) are forced to pay MA, NY, NJ tolls AND will ALWAYS fuel up, with the exception of New York in another (lower gas tax) state whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Connecticut legislators do not care about competing with our neighbors, and giving advantages to our residents. Connecticut has a huge surplus...but our legislators still find ways to raise taxes and are trying to today. Democrat AND republican ... it makes no difference does it Gov. Rell?

I would think tolls would make sense ONLY if the gas tax was reduced to COMPETE with MA, NJ, VT, NH, RI. Even better, drop the tax comparable to NJ and then everyone surrounding CT will not only pay our re-established tolls, but will ENJOY buying gas here, too! Out-of-staters buying our gas means more money for our state and less money for theirs. But that is thinking like a business...and legislators have proven incapable of doing this.

Connecticut gas stations on our borders lose customers to our neighbors to the north and east of us. This plan would allow them to turn the tables 180 degrees and the goverment can also apologize to them as well, and our citizens who pay one of the highest gasoline taxes in the country.*

Unfortunately, we all know how government works. Even if they agreed to do just that initially...wait around 2, 3 or 5 years and watch the gas tax go back up again.

Very unfortunate but that is exactly what would happen.

* http://api-ec.api.org/policy/tax/stateexcise/upload/GAS_TAX_MAP_MARCH2007_2A025.pdf

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There's a theory that Connecticut and New York are targeted for higher prices by the oil companies simply due to the high wealth of its citizens. That still doesn't explain New Jersey though.

Either way, more than 90% of the time I buy gas in Massachusetts. If I'm in Danbury or Milford, I'm stuck obviously with higher prices. But if I'm home, I hardly ever buy gas in Conn. unless I absolutely have to. Mass. is almost always a dime cheaper than the Connecticut side, sometimes 20 cents.

Now, to get back on topic a bit: look at the high gas tax we have. Then look at the condition of many state roads and highways. Not in the best of shape, but not crumbling like New Jersey's either. The truth is though, there need to be improvements made eventually, and I'm hoping the higher gas tax will contribute to that. Of course, our legislature and DOT are completely inept at that. So we're screwed.

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There's a theory that Connecticut and New York are targeted for higher prices by the oil companies simply due to the high wealth of its citizens. That still doesn't explain New Jersey though.

Either way, more than 90% of the time I buy gas in Massachusetts. If I'm in Danbury or Milford, I'm stuck obviously with higher prices. But if I'm home, I hardly ever buy gas in Conn. unless I absolutely have to. Mass. is almost always a dime cheaper than the Connecticut side, sometimes 20 cents.

Now, to get back on topic a bit: look at the high gas tax we have. Then look at the condition of many state roads and highways. Not in the best of shape, but not crumbling like New Jersey's either. The truth is though, there need to be improvements made eventually, and I'm hoping the higher gas tax will contribute to that. Of course, our legislature and DOT are completely inept at that. So we're screwed.

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i think a large portion of the country's oil comes into jersey, keeping transportation costs down. i can't explain the price difference between CT and MA though, so i'll assume you're correct. the MA gas tax is something like $0.23 per gallon, while CT is $0.25.

that being said, i don't know how far it is for you to drive to MA to get gas, but at the prices they're at now, you're not saving a large amount by saving yourself a dime a gallon. if prices were where they were pre-9/11 and pre-katrina, it'd be a significant difference. i like to support my local stations, especially those that try to keep their prices lower than the others. the money goes to local businesses and the local gov't as opposed to some other state.

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