Posted on 02/10/2014 10:16:51 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler, running for the Democratic nomination for governor, proposed Friday that the state give commuters a break on the tolls on the Intercounty Connector in the Washington suburbs.
Gansler's campaign issued a statement and a video in which the candidate asserted that ICC traffic and revenue are well below projections because of high tolls. According to the Gansler camp, usage is 20 percent lower than expected and revenues are 20-45 percent below projections.
The attorney general said his plan for a 50 percent discount for commuters who make at least 15 trips a month on the road would bring in more revenue than the current tolling scheme.
Except for a short segment still under construction between Interstate 95 and U.S. 1, the $2.4 billion ICC opened in 2011 -- connecting I-95 with the Interstate 270 corridor in Montgomery County. Construction was largely financed by higher tolls on other facilities run by the Maryland Transportation Authority such as the three Baltimore Harbor crossings.
The ICC -- also known as Maryland 200 -- was the first Maryland toll facility to offer variable pricing at different times of day to reflect congestion levels. The idea behind the plan was that ICC tolls would remain high enough to avoid congestion and keep traffic flowing freely at all times.
Since the ICC opened, many Washington-area commuters have complained that the tolls are too high. Unlike other state toll facilities such as the Bay Bridge and harbor crossings, it does not offer a commuter plan. The ICC was not affected by the most recent round of toll increases that took effect last July. Among the reasons given for the increases at the other facilities was the need to keep up debt service on the ICC.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Tolls should be no problemo.
Think of all of the extra cash Marylanders will have now that they can’t waste it buying evil black rifles.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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