Connecticut Drops I-684 Truck Toll Plan, NY Officials Relieved

NORTH CASTLE, NY — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont conceded Wednesday that his plan to put a truck toll on I-684 is dead for now. Officials in Westchester County are relieved.

“I am pleased to hear that our Connecticut neighbors have decided to end their plans to charge tolls on the one-mile stretch of I-684 on our shared border," said County Executive George Latimer. "My administration – and my colleagues in government – had serious issues with this plan from its inception and even took our case to the Connecticut State Capitol to make those issues clear."

Connecticut's toll plan changed several times over the past year. It started as dozens of gantries for all vehicles on major highways. Eventually the number of gantries were reduced and the latest iteration would only charge tolls from heavy trucks. But always one of the chosen spots was a 1-mile stretch of I-684 that crosses into and out of Greenwich, Connecticut. SEE: Connecticut Still Wants A Toll For Trucks On I-684.

I-684 is the "interstate highway" that runs down the east side of Putnam and Westchester counties. The highway runs from Brewster (in New York) to Rye Brook (in New York). The toll gantry would have been sandwiched between the exit for the Westchester County Airport to the south and the exit for Armonk, home of IBM, to the north.

Instead of tolls, Connecticut Republicans want to fix their state's crumbling bridges by borrowing and by taking money out of the state's "rainy day fund." SEE: Lamont: Time To Hit Pause On Toll Bill.

Many local leaders sounded the alarm about the toll plan’s impact on Westchester County – both on the economic and quality of life fronts. They included New York State Senators Pete Harckham and Shelley Mayer, State Assemblyman David Buchwald, Town Supervisors Michael Schiliro of North Castle, Chris Burdick of Bedford, County Legislators Kitley Covill and Margaret Cunzio.

"Thank you to the many elected officials and advocates who made it clear that a CT toll on I-684 would disproportionately impact New Yorkers and would be an inappropriate way to make infrastructure policy," State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said. "We share a commitment with Governor Ned Lamont to improve road and rail infrastructure, and we hope to work collaboratively in the future on making these improvements."

Patch Editor Rich Scinto contributed to this report.