OT: Md. Tolls increase

[Gladrags1]

I too believe in a user tax but feel that this increase is too steep for conditions and wonder if it will subsidize other, non MdTA projects, even going into the general fund. It just makes me wonder.

Some positive information; they have created a toll structure that enables you to save some money if you have ez-pass, following the practice used in the NY/NJ bridge and tunnel tolls which are cheaper if you have ez-pass.

Just throwing that out there...

Tod

[Rick486]

Those of you favoring a use tax should keep two things in mind for this particular case:
1. The section of Rte 95 through Maryland is very short. So this is clearly an attempt to soak the thru-state travelers. If I lived close to that toll booth I would find a local route to by pass the toll booth.
2. You MD folks should be outraged at the waste of your hard earned tax and use tax money to erect the enormous building over the toll booths which I mentioned earlier. I can see the use tax but not the Taj Mahal-like structure.

[aa3jy]

Originally Posted by Gladrags1

Some positive information; they have created a toll structure that enables you to save some money if you have ez-pass, following the practice used in the NY/NJ bridge and tunnel tolls which are cheaper if you have ez-pass.

Tod

Correct..but only those with Md. EZ Pass..not out-of-State EZ Pass users

[4arch]

The percentage increase was necessitated by the fact that in most cases these tolls had not been raised in 20 years or more. I don't know why toll increases aren't just pegged to inflation and/or a public works construction cost index and phased in a 25 cent increments every few years.

Rick, I am not aware of any toll plaza in MD that has a building over the roadway. Are you sure you're not thinking of the new one 95 in Delaware that's just north of the MD line? I do agree the traffic tie-ups on 95 during the construction of that thing were out of hand, but it had nothing to do with Maryland.

There are two toll plazas in MD on 95 - one is for the Tydings Memorial Bridge over the Susquehana and is for northbound traffic only, the other is for the Fort McHenry Tunnel under the Baltimore harbor. Seeing that both support major pieces of infrastructure, their existence is justified.

[Rick486]

Originally Posted by 4arch

The percentage increase was necessitated by the fact that in most cases these tolls had not been raised in 20 years or more. I don't know why toll increases aren't just pegged to inflation and/or a public works construction cost index and phased in a 25 cent increments every few years.

Rick, I am not aware of any toll plaza in MD that has a building over the roadway. Are you sure you're not thinking of the new one 95 in Delaware that's just north of the MD line? I do agree the traffic tie-ups on 95 during the construction of that thing were out of hand, but it had nothing to do with Maryland.

There are two toll plazas in MD on 95 - one is for the Tydings Memorial Bridge over the Susquehana and is for northbound traffic only, the other is for the Fort McHenry Tunnel under the Baltimore harbor. Seeing that both support major pieces of infrastructure, their existence is justified.

Ah, mea culpa. It must indeed be the DE section of 95. My apologizes to MD for the error. It is DE who erected the building and it is DE with the very short section of rte 95 with the tolls to soak travelers. Thanks 4Arch for straightening me out in my rant. :-)

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by Rick486

Ah, mea culpa. It must indeed be the DE section of 95. My apologizes to MD for the error. It is DE who erected the building and it is DE with the very short section of rte 95 with the tolls to soak travelers. Thanks 4Arch for straightening me out in my rant. :-)

The detour through Newark, DE to 896 is worth it.

You can sneak in a pee stop and still save time and money!!

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by midlifesailor

Now the "oppressed" can simply vote themselves more and more dollars from the pockets of the "filthy rich".

But they still pay the same toll/booze tax, that was my point.

[swampcreek]

Everytime I come home to the Peoples Republic of Maryland I see that sign stating "Welcome to Maryland The Free State" it should be changed to "Welcome To Maryland Whats In YOUR Wallet!?".