Support for Highway Tolls Building in Massachusetts

If Republicans at the federal level succeed in pushing more transportation funding to the state level, more states will have to consider the path of states like Rhode Island, Texas, and, now, Massachusetts.

1 minute read

April 10, 2017, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Massachusetts

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Two "top Connecticut lawmakers" are saying new tolls on the state's highways are inevitable, according to an article by Jon Chesto. Proof: "a legislative committee there just narrowly endorsed a bill that would bring all-electronic toll collecting to the state…"

According to Chesto, Massachusetts is following the lead of other states, like Rhode Island, where the state "received bids from six companies last month eager to levy tolls for big trucks, to pay for bridge repairs."

With electronic tolling technology making tolling systems easier to implement, Massachusetts could be the next state to roll out a new funding paradigm to support is transportation infrastructure.

The idea has early legislative support in the form of legislation by Senator Karen Spilka of Ashland, which "would require state transportation officials to study imposing all-electronic tolls on highways other than the Massachusetts Turnpike," reports Chesto.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 in The Boston Globe

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