Turnpike presses state for funding
Needs to cover Big Dig expenses
WORCESTER - The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority - facing a near-certain toll increase - turned up the heat on the Legislature yesterday to get it to help pay for the Big Dig and mandated discount programs.
Alan LeBovidge, executive director of the authority, said at the agency's monthly meeting, "we're doing what we can" to trim expenses, especially in light of rising fuel costs, but added there's not much more that can be cut.
The agency is facing three main scenarios: rebalancing the toll fares across the state, which is unlikely to cover the shortfall; raising toll fares; or receiving more money from the state.
Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen agreed in a telephone interview after the meeting that the agency couldn't "save its way" out of the shortfall and said, "If there's no additional state money, then most likely tolls will go up."
Cohen, who is also chairman of the authority's board and who presided over the meeting, added that "there are limited sources of additional funding. But we're not yet in the position of making any decisions."
The Central Artery/Tunnel Project is expected to cost the agency $104 million in 2009, amounting to 58 cents of every toll dollar collected inside the Route 128 belt, according to a report by a turnpike working group reviewed at yesterday's meeting in Worcester City Hall. Toll fares will need to increase to cover the costs if revenue is not found elsewhere, according to the report.
Board member Michael P. Angelini questioned whether the agency could sue the state for reimbursements beyond the state's $25 million cap on operations and maintenance for portions of the project. He later said the situation needed to be reviewed to see whether the state had a legal obligation to pitch in more money.
Judy Pagliuca, also a board member, suggested the agency tell tollpayers how high the tolls would need to be raised if the authority does not receive outside assistance.
"I think if the tollpayers see the information, and if they get upset about it, then maybe something can be done at the state level," Pagliuca said.
Fellow board member Mary Z. Connaughton predicted that tollpayers would be angry.
"The tollpayers, when they see those numbers, are really going to be up in arms," she said. "It's up to the state to do the right thing."
The meeting focused on the fairness of the state's toll system, which relies on turnpike users to pay for the toll-free roads used by drivers traveling north and south. Toll fares on the western portion of Interstate 90 haven't increased since 1990, and Interchanges 1 to 6 are toll-free for noncommercial vehicles; that represents $60 million to $75 million of untapped revenue annually, according to the report.
That money could be used for maintenance and construction on that portion of the turnpike to meet the scheduled toll removal in 2017, but there would be no impact on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, the report stated.
Legislatively mandated discount programs that could affect the project, but are out of the authority's control, represent about $18 million in untapped revenue per year.
The authority didn't outline specifically what it would ask for from the Legislature if it sought assistance. Senator Steven A. Baddour and Representative Joseph F. Wagner, chairmen of the Joint Committee on Transportation, did not return calls seeking comment.
