Are Tolls a Good Way to Finance Roads?

Drivers who live in the towns and cities along the Massachusetts Turnpike west of Route 128 are used to paying tolls.

However, in 2009 the state wrote into a law a deadline for the tolls along Interstate 90 to be taken down once the state’s highway debt is paid off, according to the Boston Business Journal Wednesday. The site reports that date is Jan. 1, 2017 as of now.

The state does plan to get rid of the tollbooths as currently constituted in one form by installing a high-speed all-electronic tolling system that bills drivers as they zip through. This change will take effect as early as next year on the Tobin Bridge.

BBJ reports that top state Department of Transportation official Richard Davey wants to roll the MassPike tolls west of Route 128 in with this plan, thus canceling the previous plan to get rid of tolling along this section of the Pike altogether.

Do you think tolling is a good way to continue to finance the state’s infrastructure needs, or would it be best for transportation officials to take the tolls down and find another way? Leave your opinion in the comments.