Tolls could rise for Pell Bridge
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Toll Hikes
Tolls at the Claiborne Pell Bridge may be going up for some drivers.
NBC 10
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority is proposing to increase tolls at the Pell Bridge for the first time in its 41-year history.
Published: July 1, 2009
Updated: July 2, 2009
JAMESTOWN, R.I.—Tolls on the Claiborne Pell Bridge may be going up for drivers who don’t own E-ZPass transponders purchased in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority is proposing to increase tolls at the Pell Bridge for the first time in its 41-year history and to impose hikes every three years afterward.
The authority is also considering whether to study re-instituting tolls on the Mount Hope Bridge. The bridge has been free to cross since 1998.
According to a news release Wednesday, the toll to cross the Pell Bridge would increase from $2 to $4 for those paying cash. For those with E-ZPass transponders from out of state, the toll would go up from $1.75 to $4. Tolls for commercial vehicles would increase $1 per axle.
Owners of Rhode Island E-ZPass transponders will continue to be charged 83 cents per crossing. E-ZPass debuted in Rhode Island in January.
The authority said the fare increases are necessary to prevent a $223 million shortfall over the next 20 years.
“The safety of the bridge must remain our highest priority,“ authority chairman David Darlington said in a release. “We simply don’t have the resources necessary to maintain them without this increase.“
According to the release, Darlington will recommend that its board members hold a series of public hearings and adopt a plan to raise the tolls.
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Reader Reactions
I dont understand why as a Rhode Island resident who uses a New Jersey transponder I have to pay 1.75 to cross the bridge versus 85 cents! I had my transponder LONG before Rhode Island even considered EZ-Pass on the bridge.
Why am I being penalized for adopting technology 10 years before the state considered it??
I am a Mass resident with a transponder purchased in Mass. I don’t understand why I should have to pay more. I am going over the bridges to spend money in Newport businesses. I can travel in other states using the transponder without getting penalized because it was purchased in Mass. Looks like I stay on this side of the bridge from now on. Their loss, not mine.
Those EZ Pass units WERE supposed to save money—if the set-up to use them was properly installed. It seems the gates were left on those lanes though, and the traffic stops—that is the gates won’t release the car if the transponder doesn’t have an adaquate enough amount to pay the fare. So…. The supervisor has to go out, collect the toll, and raise the gate manually.
Mind you—I’m not sure that that is the way it’s done, but it sounds like that could be—and that is why the supervisors just sit there on their rumps, collecting pay to watch the cars go by.
Looks like I won’t be going to Newport anymore… unless of course I drive northbound just to drive south to avoid the bridge. They are going to see a decline in Newport travelers. Too bad so sad…
Perhaps the Turnpike and Bridge Authority could do what any other company does to save money, cut staff. Going to the RITBA website, one can find the structure of the Authority. I was amazed to find that for the Newport Bridge they have 1 Director of Toll Collection operations, 4 Toll Collection Supervisors, 6 Toll Collector/Supervisors, and 14 Toll Collectors(full time, part time, casual). If you remove the casual collectors from the equation thats 1 Supervisor for every 2 collectors!! Is that really necessary! Yet only 3 people responsible for Bridge Maintenance.
Wasnt EZ-Pass supposed to reduce staffing levels?
Again perhaps the RITBA needs to reduce staffing to save money??
I have to explain myself a little better—the 83 cent toll will be in place for EZ Pass transponders PURCHASED FROM RI. How about the transponders from other states. What do we have to have now, one transponder that will work with every state but RI and one just for RI? How about those out of state transponders?
The turn to 10 report is woefully incomplete. Who covered this anyway? A third rate runner who has no concept of out of state life?
Sorry Channel 10—but you’ve cut you’re staff too far. The hacks there now have no idea of the questions to ask—or how to simply listen.
This is nothing but robbery—the EZ Pass tolls STAY AT 83 CENTS but everybody else pays $4.00?
Raising tolls is all well and good, but raise it for everybody. $2.00 for transponders and $3.00 for those with none. Another thing is the EZ Pass was also meant to speed traffic flow—and the way the toll is set up on the Pell Bridge, it sometimes slows traffic down!
All this will do is make people avoid using those bridges. If the tolls are put back on the Mt. Hope, I just won’t use it at all.
Taxes fees and fines the RI way.It will never change
This has the same lame-brained signature as the tax by the mile idocy bantered about earlier.
It’s a recession stupid!
Stop adding fees and taxes on commerce!
Look (pause), this is how it works.
Increase Cigarette taxes = Less Sales
Increase Gasoline taxes = Less Consumption.
Milage Tax = Less Activity = Less Revenue.
Less sales / Consumption = Less Revenue.
Less Sales / Consumption = Deeper recession = ???
We’re seeing this already, why can’t our DemocRAT legislature?
Guess I’ll just have to take the long way around to Newport and go through Mass.
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