After Tolls Plan Stalls, Lamont Works On New Proposal

CONNECTICUT — Tolling in Connecticut didn’t get enough traction to become a reality earlier this year, but Gov. Ned Lamont is preparing to have another go on his hallmark priority to get more funding for the state’s infrastructure.

The new plan could possibly include tolls, but not the 50 gantry proposal that was floated earlier this year, Lamont’s communication director Max Reiss told the CT Mirror. Full details haven’t been released.

Lamont’s Chief of Staff Ryan Drajewicz has visited Washington, D.C. multiple times to meet with federal transportation authorities to talk about potential federal credit assistance programs for infrastructure along with plans to turn Tweed New Haven or Sikorsky Memorial airport into a bigger commercial operation.

Senate Republican leader Len Fasano said he was happy to hear the 50 toll gantry plan was dead and that the state would explore using more federal programs for infrastructure upgrades, according to CT News Junkie.

The No Tolls CT organization recently paid for highway billboards along I-91, I-84 and I-95 with anti-toll messages.

"2020 is an election year," said Patrick Sasser, founder of No Tolls CT. "Do these politicians really want a vote for tolls hanging over their heads? It costs enough already to live and work in Connecticut without having to pay the state government everyday just to drive to work."

Lamont campaigned on truck-only tolls, but changed his stance when he came into office, citing concerns over possible legal challenges and that they would bring in much less money than tolling all vehicles. He went around the state to give press conferences near aging infrastructure, including the I-84 Viaduct in Hartford.

Since then the toll proposal has changed several times as legislative Republicans remained steadfastly against any tolls in the state, citing distrust of how the money would be spent.

The toll proposal would have put electronic tolls on I-95, I-91, I-84 and parts of Route 15. The large number of proposed gantries were proposed because Connecticut has many exits off its highways, including one exit per mile on I-95 between New York and New Haven. The Mass Turnpike by comparison has 21 exits on 133 miles of roadway.

There was a 4.4 cents per mile proposed rate for frequent commuters equipped with a Connecticut EZ-Pass during peak hours. Out-of-state drivers equipped with an EZ-Pass would have a proposed rate of 7.9 cents. The goal was to eventually raise $800 million in toll revenue per year with around 40 percent coming from out-of-state drivers. Toll rates with discounts would be about the same as the Mass Turnpike, which doesn’t have congestion pricing.

In June Lamont proposed an income tax reduction to help alleviate the cost of tolls for state residents. At the same time his administration painted a potentially dire picture of the state getting reduced federal funding if its roads and highways fell into a bad state of repair.