Posted on 06/22/2011 12:40:55 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
For whom do the tolls toll?
They toll for area motorists, who are threatening to avoid the toll plazas as the state continues to propose substantial fee hikes at its bridges and tunnels.
Maryland Transportation Authority officials came to Severn River Middle School yesterday to hear how Anne Arundel County residents felt about a plan to raise $77 million by increasing the tolls at the Bay Bridge and other crossings.
Passenger cars at the Bay Bridge would pay $5 by October and $8 by 2013. Vehicles with three or more axles would be paying $24 to $60 at the crossings by 2013. A decision is expected by the end of the summer.
Jim and Shirley Dvorak said the toll increase would cut into the money they've saved for travel during their retirement. The Severn couple pays a $12 toll for its four-axle camper, a fee that would rise to $23 in January and $36 by 2013 if the current plan is adopted.
If the tolls rise that much, they said, they'll get more creative in their travels.
"I'm going through the city," Jim Dvorak said. "I can go up (Interstate) 95 and take Route 1, so I would miss every toll I would have to come through. If that's what they want, they'll have a big traffic jam in the city with big campers and trucks."
Roughly 60 people came to yesterday's hearing, the sixth of 10 the MdTA is holding around the state. The final public hearing is scheduled for July 14 in Ocean City, but the state is collecting testimony about the plan through Aug. 1.
The first phase of the toll increases would begin in October, when passenger vehicles at the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel and the Key Bridge would start paying $3 each way, followed by a $4 toll on July 1, 2013.
At the Bay Bridge, three-axle vehicles pay $9 for round trip; that would jump to $15 on Jan. 1 and then go to $24 on July 1, 2013. Currently, the E-ZPass commuter plan is $1, but it would go to $1.50 by Oct. 1 and then $2.80 by July 1, 2013. To coincide with the new fees, discount commuter plans of $25 and $70 will be offered.
The additional funds would be used to make $225 million in repairs to the highway facilities over the next six years, including express toll lanes on I-95 and the Intercounty Connector that will connect Montgomery and Prince George's counties once completed.
On the Bay Bridge, planned capital projects include nearly $38 million to clean and paint the westbound span, and about $39 million to make repairs to the steel and cables on both sides.
The MdTA relies solely on toll revenue to operate and maintain its facilities. It does not receive any federal money, nor does it get any from the state's transportation trust fund or general fund.
"We know it's never a good time to do a toll increase," MdTA Chairman Beverley K. Swaim-Staley said. "We've been getting very good ideas (at other hearings) on commuter discounts … and other proposals to consider."
State officials and residents encouraged the state to find another alternative. State Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena, said many of his constituents were upset about the tolls, but didn't attend the hearing because they felt the state was going to approve the fees anyway.
"We made national news about these toll increases, and that's not what I want (Maryland) to be known for," said Simonaire, one of three elected officials who spoke. "Some people just lost their jobs, and they're calling my office."
Annapolis resident Mary Anne Joyce said higher tolls would make it harder for her to see her son and his family, who live in Easton. One of her granddaughters is often driven back and forth between the eastern and western sides of the bridge for appointments with doctors and physical therapists. She said that would be an even greater hardship if they had to pay more.
"People on the Shore are a vital part of Maryland," said Joyce, one of 16 residents who gave official testimony at the meeting. "Apparently, you think differently."
Arnold resident Vince Kayser's work with the U.S. Pony Club forces him to travel back and forth along the bridge for events. That costs him a $12 toll now.
"When it goes to $36, we probably will not attend events on the Eastern Shore," said Kayser, an Arnold resident. "We'll probably just attend events on this side of the bridge and not incur that expense."
Pat Lynch, president of the Broadneck Coucil of Communities, said she is more concerned about getting an alternative to the bridge's eastbound span, since it is 59 years old.
"The one we currently have to use is a deathtrap," Lynch said. "We're hoping funds from this board … will be dedicated to building another eastbound" span.
Pasadena resident Dwight Hopkins told state officials to consider how the new tolls would impact BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, since Kent Island residents could opt to travel out of Philadelphia.
"I've lived in Maryland for 10 years and each year it gets more and more expensive to live here. It's getting ridiculous," Hopkins said. "I'm just ready to pull up the sticks and leave the state. It gets crazier every year."
Pasadena resident Ray Walter also said that he would do what he could to avoid the tolls.
"I know how to get to Pennsylvania without using tolls," Walter said. "If I can figure that out, I'm sure everyone else can."
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Members of the public may submit comments for the official record by 5 p.m. Aug. 1 by visiting www.mdta.maryland.gov; or writing to MDTA Toll Comment, 2310 Broening Highway, Baltimore, 21224.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Suck it up. The state of Maryland doesn’t give a rat’s behind for the Eastern Shore and Cecil County. We don’t produce enough votes (and those votes lean Republican anyway!) for them to bother. As long as the state keeps throwing goodies to Baltimore City, PG, and Montgomery Counties, they can keep sticking it to the rest of the state. Do you think it is an accident that the first (and so far only) slots parlor is in Perryville?
The Perryville hearing on the toll increase drew well over 1000 people. Do you know what the MdTA is going to do after these hearings? Exactly what they were going to do before! Jerks. They are bleeding us dry to finance the Inter-County connector. Why not just kill Cecil County and be done with it? Why would anyone associate with BRAC move there if it is going to cost so much to get to work every day.
Jerks. Jerks. Jerks.
Democrats won a big re-election last after ramming through huge tax increases on us (yes middle class) so I don't understand the whining. Then this year they raised taxes again and gave taxpayer subsidies to illegals at state universities.
According to MdTA, it cost money to maintain the E-Z Pass accounts, so they’re chargin a $1.50 monthly fee to recoup the money spent on the accounts.
A better way to phrase it is that they spend money to maintain those accounts, who knows how?. It is hard to imagine what having an account with no charges to it that doesnt require a mailed statement should cost but it sure isnt $1.50 (per month.) In any case it's like another tax where they take the money and say FU.
Rising gas prises make raising tolls and sales tax easier if the drive around the tolls is more miles.
Just like Indiana, they want to charge more to drive on the weight loss machine.
I have no problem with making the bridge users pay their own way. I very rarely use those bridges and I would rather the cost be paid by those that do rather then use my tax money.
Bridges and tunnels need to be maintained and kept up. That costs cash. If not through tolls, how then should the money be raised?
Bridges and tunnels cost money to maintain. If the money even goes to that.
Rats take the money for their constituents and when the bridge collapses they blame republicans for not caring about the people.
And the morons buy the crap.
No sympathy.
So if the legislature redirects the funds dedicated to road and bridge maintenance, the only method left is increasing tolls?
Is there anywhere one can go to find how much bridges cost to physically maintain, how much various state-slacker employees at these bridges get, how much their benefits cost and how much their retirements cost. The government never seems to pay off any o9f these facilities even though some have been cash cows for the spend-thrift pols for many, many years. And remember, as ever an4bd for ever, Maryland is THE Freak State.
As I recall, all Maryland state employees get free EZPass accounts!
Much of the money will likely be used for other things though. It will get siphoned off. In a few years, when the money has disappeared and the maintenance still needs to be done, they will up the fees again.
You can bet your Bippy O’Malley will siphon off these funds into the General Fund to be used for Stadiums and more entitlements to Baltimore. Let’s not forget Casa De Maryland either. They will get some.
The transportation fund had plenty of money to maintain the bridges. The fund has been raided for other things time after time. This is not about bridge users paying their way to maintain the bridges and highways - it is about stealthily taxing those drivers.
I think the bridge in Conowingo is still free so I would think there will be a big increase in traffic across it if these toll increases are enacted.
Cecil Co and the eastern shore will be giving Delaware stores more business than ever.
No. Bridges and tunnels maintenance gets ignored. That’s what state gasoline taxes were supposed to be used for.
Why do governments have to raise tolls every couple of years to maintain the same infrastructure? There are no more people working on it? Materials are relatively stable. The bridge or tunnel was probably paid off decades ago.
No, the money is going to fund union benefits. Once the bridge starts to fall apart, the local pols go to congress seekng money to rebuild it.
I live in MD but have PA EZ passes. No monthly fee.
Good idea, did you get them with a MD drivers license and registration and mailing address?
The automobile increases don’t bother me, since they’re the ones clogging the roads during rush hour.
The truck increases, on the other hand, are outrageous. If anything, they should be lowering those rates to keep truckers on the highways and off the back roads and streets.
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