Toll War: New York Lawmaker To Target CT Drivers If Tolls OK'd

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — A New York lawmaker threatens to retaliate over over Gov. Ned Lamont's plan to place tolls on trucks on Interstate 684. State Sen. Pete Harckham blasted Lamont at a press conference on Monday in Lewisboro, saying Lamont is trying to create a "toll war" between New York and Connecticut.

Harckham said if Lamont proceeds with his plan then he'll submit legislation calling for several new tolls to be placed all along the Connecticut border including where the Hutchinson River Parkway meets the Merritt Parkway.

I-684 runs down the east side of Putnam and Westchester counties. That's Westchester County, New York. The highway runs from Brewster (in New York) to Rye Brook (in New York).

The gantry would be sandwiched between the exit for the Westchester County Airport to the south and the exit for Armonk, home of IBM, to the north, on the sliver of I-684 that is actually in Connecticut.

Joining Harckham at the news conference were several other local officials with constituents who use I-684 regularly, including Lewisboro Supervisor Peter Parsons, Pound Ridge Supervisor Kevin Hansan, North Salem Deputy Supervisor Peter Kamenstein and Lewisboro Council Member Jane D. Crimmins.

Harckham said for years Connecticut residents have been utilizing New York roads and that has contributed to wear and tear that New York has had to pay for. He stressed that he doesn't want to toll Connecticut residents but said Lamont may leave New York no choice.

“So, it strikes me and many others as particularly galling that Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and other Connecticut officials are going ahead with put a toll in place on the small 1.4 mile stretch of I-684 that crosses into Connecticut—to pay for roadway infrastructure repairs in Connecticut,” said Harckham. "Making this even more galling is that since the administration of Governor Rockefeller, New York State has provided all of the services on Connecticut’s portion of 684—road repairs, fire and emergency responses, state police patrol, snow plowing, removal of deer carcasses—everything.”

He said Lamont's plan to place a toll on I-684 was Lamont's version of President Donald Trump's border wall — unwarranted and unnegotiated.

Connecticut's plan would push drivers off the interstate and onto local roads, something local officials are trying to stop because it already creates problems, said North Salem Town Supervisor Warren Lucas.

“Cut-through traffic from Connecticut is the bane of Lewisboro’s residential streets,” said Lewisboro Supervisor Peter Parsons. “The cause is traffic jams where I-84 meets I-684, and then again where I-684 loses a lane where the Saw Mill Parkway branches off.”

Harckham called on state officials to work together to address transportation issues for both New York and Connecticut.

Lamont earlier this month proposed following Rhode Island's lead with commercial truck tolls on 12 bridges. He noted that the U.S. General Accounting Office and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials found that a five-axle tractor-trailer does as much damage to highways as 9,600 passenger cars.

The average toll rate for a truck equipped with a transponder would be $8, according to details released by Lamont.

The locations of the tolls would be as follows:

• I-95 in five spots ranging from lower Fairfield County to the Gold Star Bridge. Specifically, I-95 Over Stamford Metro-North Railroad, I-95 Over Rt. 33, I-95 Over West Haven Metro-North Railroad, I-95 Over Rt. 161, and I-95 Gold Star Bridge Over Thames River
• I-395: I-395 Over Moosup River
• I-684: I-684 Over Byram River
• Route 8: Route 8 Four Bridges South of I-84 Interchange
• I-91/Route 15 interchange: I-91/Route 15 New Interchange 29 Structures at Charter Oak Bridge
• I-84 over the Housatonic River and the Rt. 8 interchange. Specifically, I-84 Rochambeau Bridge Over Housatonic River and I-84 Stack Bridges at I-84 & Rt. 8 Interchange.

"Action on this consensus proposal will allow Connecticut to invest at least $19.4 billion in our infrastructure with more to come if the Budget Reserve Fund exceeds the responsible, bipartisan threshold of 15 percent," Lamont has said.

The Connecticut General Assembly is expected to address Lamont's trucks-only tolling plan in January.

Patch editor Rich Scinto contributed to this story.

SEE:

• CT Proposes Toll On I-684: NY Highway Robbery
• I-684 Could Get Tollbooth For Trucks Only