Many of us take a look at the SE Expressway, and 93 north, and say: Keep the tolls, it ain’t as bad as sitting on a parking lot daily on a crumbling road. Because when the toll revenue is gone, and the Pike is under Mass Highway, it will be a lot worse.
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p>
Tolls aren’t cheap or fair, but they filter out some drivers, and make commuter rail a good alternative. Take away the tolls, and take riders off the T, and it will just get worse and cost more.
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p>
BTW, don’t count on the tolls coming down so fast. This is all conveniently “preliminary.” They will do the legal and financial analysis later — hmmm, maybe that net revenue will look a lot better next spring as a way to keep the road up rather than shifting the entire Pike westerly cost into the general budget.
<
p>
In the end, how many Wayland/Weston/Westborough at that undecided that this blatant toll-bribe will shift them over the line to KH? Probably not as many as will recoil at another cheap trick approach to voters.
Many of us take a look at the SE Expressway, and 93 north, and say: Keep the tolls, it ain’t as bad as sitting on a parking lot daily on a crumbling road. Because when the toll revenue is gone, and the Pike is under Mass Highway, it will be a lot worse.
<
p>
Tolls aren’t cheap or fair, but they filter out some drivers, and make commuter rail a good alternative. Take away the tolls, and take riders off the T, and it will just get worse and cost more.
<
p>
BTW, don’t count on the tolls coming down so fast. This is all conveniently “preliminary.” They will do the legal and financial analysis later — hmmm, maybe that net revenue will look a lot better next spring as a way to keep the road up rather than shifting the entire Pike westerly cost into the general budget.
<
p>
In the end, how many Wayland/Weston/Westborough at that undecided that this blatant toll-bribe will shift them over the line to KH? Probably not as many as will recoil at another cheap trick approach to voters.