MdTA: Like Tolls, Traffic Has Increased

It's too early to tell how the increase in tolls on Maryland roads will impact travel.

But Randy Brown, executive secretary of the Maryland Transportation Authority, said traffic throughout the MdTA system has actually increased since the rates went up in October 2011.

The spanning the between and was the topic of much debate in the lead-up to the toll increases. The outrage wasn't so much over the rate increase, but more for the , which enabled motorists to pay a flat, yearly rate to travel the bridge.

That system is , but will be phased out in favor of the E-ZPass system that is used throughout the state and much of the mid-Atlantic region.

A of Harford and Cecil counties—including and —was the chance that motorists would avoid tolls by taking MD Route 155 to MD Route 161 to U.S. Route 1 over the to MD Route 222 through . The route is already common for those looking to dodge tolls, and residents were concerned commercial truck traffic may increase with the toll increase.

Brown told during a press briefing last week in that there hasn't been enough data to show whether or not traffic has declined on as motorists favor Route 1.

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