Governor Patrick: Toll hikes might not be necessary

I drive the Tobin everyday and if my toll is increased a penny without other commuters sharing the burden (93 N/S) I will just find an alternative route.
I don't get why we have to pay a toll anyway. The bridge was created so that boats could pass there the harbor easily, why don’t you charge them for the maintenance of the bridge. Rip it down and put a causeway and it will be just like any other road in the state that has been paid for by the state that doesn’t have to pay a fee for using it.

Lay off 100 DMH case managers, but keep those tolls down so the suburbanites in their BMW's and Mercedes can keep driving to work instead of taking the T like the rest of us working folk....where are our priorities these days?????

Hi
It would not be fair to expect 60 % of the mass residents who don't use those roads to pay more gas taxes to cover the cost of tolls. Those who chose to live and work in the Boston area should except the rise in cost or the Governor should find some other way to resolve this problem and not to put the burden on the rest of the states residents.

Thanks, Eloi

C'mon, it makes perfect sense to bilk the drivers of 2 sets of tunnels, one bridge and one highway and let all the other drivers on all the hundreds of other roads in the state go around toll-free.

Heck maybe we should put tolls on 4 sidewalks across the state and charge those pedestrians for use of those sidewalks, but let the pedestrians on all the other sidewalks in the state go toll-free.

And, you know, there's no more efficient way to collect a tax/fee then to quintuple the width of a road and stop traffic right there with a bunch of manned booths. Oh, and infrequent, traffic-packed offramps and onramps are turnpikes' special gift to society. That and the extra pollution all the tolls allow us to have.

A ten cent gas tax hike would allow us to eliminate the tolls. If the gas tax goes up, then tolls should be eliminated.

umm, the tolls aren't in place to pay for the roads - they're to pay down the deficit of the Mass Turnpike Authority. And most of that debt was incurred by the Big Dig, which drivers of the Mass Pike do not use. So the real question is, why is there an unfair financial burden being placed on the residents of MetroWest?

Bait and switch. It's classic. This governor has been an abject failure; every promise has been broken, the state is in worse shape than ever, and now this bait and switch type of government.

Once again, THANK YOU to all the people who voted for this inexperienced guy based on hope and change. I fully expect to see this type of situation play out on a grander scale with Obama. Hope and change. Thanks a lot.

umm, the tolls aren't in place to pay for the roads - they're to pay down the deficit of the Mass Turnpike Authority. And most of that debt was incurred by the Big Dig, which drivers of the Mass Pike do not use. So the real question is, why is there an unfair financial burden being placed on the residents of MetroWest? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Because the city of Boston creates more jobs and more revenue for this state than all of Metro West. The Big Dig, although too expensive in my opinion, was needed to help relieve the congestion created by people coming into Boston for work, play or what have you.

People kill me when the say why should I have to pay for the big dig when I dont use it. These bridges and Tunnels are just like any other road in the state. There is no way around and are only roads that we can use to get threw Boston. Do any of you go over a bridge, overpass etc. who pays for that the state.
These are state roads and the expense should be shared equally. Next time a overpass/bridge that you use to commute needs to be repaired make sure you put a toll on it to pay for it. We commuters did not ask for the big dig and certainly did not having to do with it being screwed up

You get what you vote for. . . . and this is only going to get worse.

If they would reinstate the tolls on the western end of the Pike (Deval's neighborhood, so it won't happen) that would bring in huge money. Right now they use the pike for free, while still getting the best plowing, motorist help and protection in the state.

Connecticut used to have several tolls on the NY border in the 80's and my father spent many hours for many years held up in them waiting to pay when he commuted from Long Island to Stamford CT. Then, after the public outcry resulting from several tragedies when multiple fatal accidents occured at these gridlocked toll plazas filled with frustrated stressed and in a hurry drivers for no other reason then to collect a 50 cent toll, the state was forced to take action. They tore down all the toll plazas (I think they kept one right at the border) laid off most of the collectors, repaved the road for high speed and maximum throughput, and upped the gasoline tax to offset the lost revenue. I think Mass could learn from the example. I'm sure CT has much less pollution in that area and the highway accidents are fewer. My dad is still annoyed at all the time he lost each day in that commute only to have the delays eliminated a few short years later when the politicians actually made those tough decisions when their feet were to the fire.

To those who think that all people who live in the suburbs drive expensive cars you are wrong. For years I drove my car to a parking lot and took the T into Boston. Due to a physical condition I now need to drive to Boston each day.
This crises should be shared by all as a whole. There are many state roads and bridges that need to be maintained but are not toll roads. Where do you think those funds come from? Stop take a look around and think before you act!!!

I don't really mind paying to maintain the Pike when I drive on the Pike, although I note that I'm also paying the gas tax that maintains I-93, etc. I DO mind paying the entire burden of the Big Dig, much of which benefits I-93 drivers, who pay no toll.

A gas tax would be the best choice, as tolls are expensive to maintain and create traffic problems. So much as it would be "fair" to put tolls on I-93 to spread the burden (to the actual beneficiaries) it's probably a bad idea.

Excuse me 'pikedriver', you say MetroWest is being hit with the burden of this expense?! Your toll will increase from $1.25 to $2.00. Coming from the North Shore we will go from already paying $3.50 up to $7.00 to get into or through Boston! And that may not be the end of it. We are both going to the same place, why should the North Shore residents have to pay so much more? I have no problem paying a toll, just like paying taxes. We all use the roads and they need to be paid for (however poorly managed the bureaus running them are) but the burden should be shared equally. A gas tax would do that more fairly

I am a Winthrop resident who commutes to Waltham using the Williams tunnel and the Pike. The T is not an option for me, if it was I would use it.
These toll increases are going to double my tolls from 6 to 12 a day.
My only option is to avoid the toll and take route 16 to 2 which is highly congested and takes 30 minutes longer.
I don't mind the 6$ a day to save 30 minutes but $12 is just too much.
These tolls place a much higher burden on the north shore and metro west residents than the rest of state. We all pay for all the the roads and bridges in the state so its not unfair to ask for a gas tax increase instead.

These tolls are unfair to small business in the affected areas, as well as cab drivers, and people visiting the city of Boston.

These tolls are unfair to small business in the affected areas, as well as cab drivers, and people visiting the city of Boston.
Taxi fares through the tunnels are higher than passenger car fares. (And I don’t know why actually – anyone?) – and will go up to $9.00. As soon as someone flies in, its $9 on the meter to get into the city.
I live in East Boston, and as a resident will continue to get the discounted rate through the tunnel, but hate to see this increase pass as it will hurt small businesses in the neighborhood. In order to dine or shop in East Boston, visitors will be paying a $7 / $9 premium. Just ridiculous.

If we are trying to pay for the cost of the Big Dig, shouldn't everyone who uses the new roads pay? The commuters using 93 N/S don't pay anything. How much did the Zakim Bridge cost? How much did the Rose Kennedy Greenway cost? How about the North End paying something because the highway is not running though the neighborhood, and surely their property values will increase, while mine in Winthrop will decline. I will pay $2,860/year to commute to work, the tunnel and two tolls. When the state needs something, they dump it in Winthrop, but we don't enjoy the same discounts as the residents of East Boston. Why? We need answers now!

I use a portion of the Mass Pike. But not the Tobin, nor the tunnels. So why should I be burdened with a higher toll or a gas tax for something I don't use or care about.