BOSTON — A new electronic tolling system on the Mass. Pike is part of the state's plan to ease traffic, but what will it cost drivers?
There's a big difference in what drivers with an EZ-Pass will pay and what drivers without one will pay. Those who get a bill in the mail will be impacted the most by the cost.
Few argue against the need to get rid of the toll booths on the Mass. pike, but some drivers aren't happy about the replacement set to take effect in October.
"People are being pushed further and further and further outside of the city," driver Ian Pomerantz said. "I guess I'm concerned how that's going to affect young people and people who have low income."
If you have an EZ-Pass transponder, it will cost you less to use to the tolls, but if not it'll cost you more.
Not only that, but drivers who once could exit the Mass. pike before the tolls will now have to go through them and some worry low income residents will be forced to pick up the extra costs.
Say you take a 14-mile trip from exit 13 in Natick to exit 18 in Allston; instead of stopping at all toll booths, you'll pass under three toll gantries that will monitor your drive. A driver with an EZ-Pass will pay $1.65, but a driver without a transponder will pay $3.65 plus a $0.60 billing fee.
Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan is on the Department of Transportation board and is pushing for a grace period so drivers will have more time to get Mass. EZ-Passes before the tolls take effect in October.
"Despite our best efforts in terms of public notifications, there are going to be some who will not have a transponder," Sullivan said. "We shouldn't be penalizing them just because they weren't ready to go specifically on that date."
He wants that grace period to extend to the end of the year.
"But if it's mismanaged at the start, it's going to be hard to overcome that," Mayor Sullivan said.
The state had previously said the new electronic tolling would save $50 million, but a new estimate has reduced that to just $5 million.
A series of public comment hearings will be held in Sept. to allow tax payers to give feedback before the tolling takes effect in October.
Here's the schedule:
- Tuesday, September 6: Union Station, inside Union Hall, 2 Washington Street, Worcester
- Wednesday, September 7: North Shore Community College, 303 Broad Street, McGee Building, Room LE303, Lynn
- Monday, September 12: Newton City Hall, War Memorial Room, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton
- Tuesday, September 13: Framingham Town Hall, Nevins Hall, 150 Concord Street, Framingham
- Wednesday, September 14: Jackson Mann School, in the auditorium, 40 Armington Street, Allston
- Wednesday, September 14: Springfield City Hall, Room 220, 36 Court Street, Springfield
- Thursday, September 15: MassDOT Highway Division District 1 Headquarters, Main Conference Room, 270 Main Street, Lenox.
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