Prudence Island Residents Mixed About Mt. Hope Toll Proposal

Prudence Island resident Valerie Bachini travels on ferry, over water and over the Mount Hope Bridge five days a week just to take her children to public school in Portsmouth. If a new , the mother of two says it would be more than an inconvenience for her.

"I'm against it," Bachini said Friday while riding the Prudence Island Ferry back home. 

Bachini's two young children both attend in Portsmouth. The town covers the costs for the ferry and Bachini says the proposed toll is not "a lot of money." But would Prudence Island residents be responsible for paying it to get to town?

Prudence Island residents are, in fact, Portsmouth residents. Prudence Island inhabitants pay a discounted fee to ride the ferry; however, they are required to travel through Bristol and over the Mount Hope Bridge to enter Potsmouth. 

When asked what he thought about a possible fee to enter his own town, part-time Prudence Island resident Joe Bains said, "Usually, you already have to pay the ferry fare to go to town so a toll is not unreasonable." 

Patch asked other residents on the Friday what they thought about the proposed tolls. Here's what a few of them had to say: 

The state needs the money for maintenance of all roads and bridges. They should make one rule for all of the bridges. — Judy Shaw

I think it's crazy. They took the tolls out before and now they want to put them back. It doesn't make sense. The traffic is already all tied up now with all the construction. — Diane Haglund

A bridge with a toll on it is better than no bridge at all. — Joe Bains (referreing to a time in the '80s when Mount Hope was closed)

It's going to be a pain in the neck. It's going to be really inconvenient and expensive. I go over two to four times a day for errands and doctor appointments. — Harry Sterling 

It's terrible. I think we're getting nickled and dimed to death. — Melanie Curley