Bottom Of The Barrel

Is it really the end?

I was away in Chicago when this was announced, but is this the beginning of the end for tolls on the mass pike? The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board voted in principle to eliminate all tolls on the Pike west of Route 128 next June. Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey stated that they "found that we're collecting tolls to pay for the collection of tolls". I say it's about time someone had the nerve to call it like it is. I think it's tragic that it took the July 10 fatal ceiling collapse in the Interstate 90 connector tunnel [which lead to Governor Mitt Romney taking control of the situation and then appointing former state finance secretary Eric Kriss to review the authority's finances] to start the chain of events that lead to this [not so] surprising conclusion. What would be left are tolls from route 128 inward to Boston.

The board took no action on another proposal calling for ending all tolls on the Turnpike east of Route 128 except for the Boston Harbor tunnels by December 31, 2007. This should be the ultimate goal, how ever would that mean dismantling the Turnpike Authority completely? Probably, which means that might not ever happen but let's take a moment to applaud those who have taken the steps necessary to begin to remove our Cash Pike.

posted by TheWino @ 9:17 AM