Comments on: Congestion Pricing's Next Stop: Connecticut? http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/18/congestion-pricings-next-stop-connecticut/ News and opinion from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:36:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Aady Pitt http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/18/congestion-pricings-next-stop-connecticut/comment-page-1/#comment-579 Aady Pitt Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:59:56 +0000 http://mobilizingtheregion.wordpress.com/?p=472#comment-579 Congestion rating and other tolling systems are not only an first-class idea, but a necessity. Many of our roads and spans in Connecticut are approaching the end of their maximum useful lifetimes. We’ve been ‘riding’ on the investment that our grandparents made in our transportation infrastructure and without a major reinvestment in this infrastructure, we risk increasing exposure to very sober safety lucks. _____________________ Aady <a href="http://www.treatmentcenters.org/connecticut" rel="nofollow">Connecticut Treatment Centers</a> Congestion rating and other tolling systems are not only an first-class idea, but a necessity. Many of our roads and spans in Connecticut are approaching the end of their maximum useful lifetimes. We’ve been ‘riding’ on the investment that our grandparents made in our transportation infrastructure and without a major reinvestment in this infrastructure, we risk increasing exposure to very sober safety lucks.
_____________________
Aady
Connecticut Treatment Centers

]]> By: vnm http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/18/congestion-pricings-next-stop-connecticut/comment-page-1/#comment-578 vnm Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:40:31 +0000 http://mobilizingtheregion.wordpress.com/?p=472#comment-578 Doug writes, "As long as there is a cash lane . . . " Soon, cash lanes will be a thing of the past, at least if the Port Authority and the MTA studies prove that it is feasible to remove them. http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/mta_to_study_cashless_tolling.html http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=84358 Doug writes, “As long as there is a cash lane . . . ”

Soon, cash lanes will be a thing of the past, at least if the Port Authority and the MTA studies prove that it is feasible to remove them.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/mta_to_study_cashless_tolling.html
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=84358

]]> By: Erin http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/18/congestion-pricings-next-stop-connecticut/comment-page-1/#comment-576 Erin Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:49:27 +0000 http://mobilizingtheregion.wordpress.com/?p=472#comment-576 Congestion pricing and other tolling systems are not only an excellent idea, but a necessity. Many of our roads and bridges in Connecticut are approaching the end of their maximum useful lifetimes. We've been 'riding' on the investment that our grandparents made in our transportation infrastructure and without a major reinvestment in this infrastructure, we risk increasing exposure to very serious safety hazards. Anyway, why should road users not be responsible for paying for what they use? Especially if a signficant number of those users are only passing through our state? The fact is that the 'user fee' as paid through the gas tax is no longer sufficient. We must develop a more diverse revenue stream. It is unacceptable to ask for other tax dollars to subsidize the least efficient and most polluting transportation option: single occupant driving of personal cars. Because that is ultimately what we encourage when we build and expand our 'free' highways. I commend the members of the General Assembly who are brave enough to be honest about our needs. It will not be a popular idea, but it is a responsible proposal that reflects real needs. Congestion pricing and other tolling systems are not only an excellent idea, but a necessity. Many of our roads and bridges in Connecticut are approaching the end of their maximum useful lifetimes. We’ve been ‘riding’ on the investment that our grandparents made in our transportation infrastructure and without a major reinvestment in this infrastructure, we risk increasing exposure to very serious safety hazards.

Anyway, why should road users not be responsible for paying for what they use? Especially if a signficant number of those users are only passing through our state? The fact is that the ‘user fee’ as paid through the gas tax is no longer sufficient. We must develop a more diverse revenue stream. It is unacceptable to ask for other tax dollars to subsidize the least efficient and most polluting transportation option: single occupant driving of personal cars. Because that is ultimately what we encourage when we build and expand our ‘free’ highways. I commend the members of the General Assembly who are brave enough to be honest about our needs. It will not be a popular idea, but it is a responsible proposal that reflects real needs.

]]> By: Doug http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/18/congestion-pricings-next-stop-connecticut/comment-page-1/#comment-577 Doug Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:08:23 +0000 http://mobilizingtheregion.wordpress.com/?p=472#comment-577 As long as there is a cash lane there always will be traffic at tolls. There's no getting around it. And that's bad for our air. Maybe there will be a time when cars pollute less, or not at all, but that time is not coming soon. It's probably never coming for trucks. There are only a few places where I would accept tolls... First, on the HOV lanes as described above, but they'd need to be designed so that they would not impact the rest of the traffic whatsoever. Second, at the entrance to the Indian reservations, so we can get some of those gamblers to pay for using the roads. (Probably be a bad idea to require exit tolls there). And last, on the highways entering (not exiting) the state. Otherwise, just throwing up tolls all over the highways will simply clog the roads, pollute the air, and make it that much harder to survive here. It's already costing a fortune to drive here. Don't make it that much worse. As long as there is a cash lane there always will be traffic at tolls. There’s no getting around it. And that’s bad for our air.

Maybe there will be a time when cars pollute less, or not at all, but that time is not coming soon. It’s probably never coming for trucks.

There are only a few places where I would accept tolls… First, on the HOV lanes as described above, but they’d need to be designed so that they would not impact the rest of the traffic whatsoever. Second, at the entrance to the Indian reservations, so we can get some of those gamblers to pay for using the roads. (Probably be a bad idea to require exit tolls there). And last, on the highways entering (not exiting) the state.

Otherwise, just throwing up tolls all over the highways will simply clog the roads, pollute the air, and make it that much harder to survive here. It’s already costing a fortune to drive here. Don’t make it that much worse.

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