R.I. Turnpike Authority asks to hike tolls to pay for repairs
5:27 PM Thu, Apr 30, 2009 | Permalink
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By Bruce Landis PROVIDENCE, R.I -- The state Turnpike and Bridge Authority needs to make $50-million worth of repairs to the Pell and Mount Hope bridges, and needs a toll increase to pay for them, Chairman David Darlington said. Darlington asked the House Finance Committee Thursday to approve a $50-million bond issue for the work, which would include repairing rusted steel and painting both bridges. Darlington said that an ongoing traffic and revenue study will produce the details, but guessed that tolls on the Pell Bridge for out-of-state cars using EZPass transponders might rise to 3.50 to $4 from the present $1.75. The study would look into reinstituting tolls on the Mount Hope Bridge, where they were eliminated in 1998. Rhode Island residents would continue to pay 83 cents to cross the Pell Bridge, he said. 
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I think raising the cost of the tolls from $1.75 to $3.50-$4.00 for out of staters is a very bad idea. The financial life blood of Newport, not to mention RI is the almighty tourist dollar. If we raise the toll to those levels we would certainly make Newport a less inviting place to visit. About a decade ago there was a political cartoon in the paper following the installation of the parking meters in down town Newport. It read, "Welcome to Nepwort, $2.00 to get in, $2.00 to get out and 25 cents every 15 minutes" or something to that affect. This sort of increase may not stop the tourist from visiting altogether, but would certianly take money out of their budget they might otherwise spend in the restaurants and shops. This would essentially become a tax on the small businesses of Newport, negatively impact the tax revenue of the state and cause the state to require additional money to successfully operate the state's bridges. Then where would we be? It is a snowball effect. Has anyone thought about eliminating some positions at the Pell Bridge since the introduction of the E-Z pass? I cross the bridge twice a day and have noticed that since the introduction of the E-Z pass system toll takers are standing around in the booths simply watch cars go through. How was this system supposed to save us money? Wasn't that the rationale for getting the E-Z pass system to begin with?
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