Borders Tolls For RI, NH Drivers: Worcester Sen. Revives Idea

NOTE: The state Senate voted down Kennedy's amendment on May 23

WORCESTER, MA — Just a few weeks ago, MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt sent shockwaves across the Boston area when she suggested drivers coming into the state from New Hampshire and Rhode Island should pay tolls to use I-93 and I-95 — among the most congested, pock-marked freeways around.

Politicians in those neighboring states and members of the Boston commentariat went ballistic, and even Gov. Maura Healey stepped in to clarify the MassDOT chief's toll opinions "do not represent the views of this administration."

While that storm was raging within the confines of I-95, commuters who frequent a certain Massachusetts Turnpike were left wondering what the big deal would be if out-of-state drivers had to pay to use highways. A drive from Worcester to Boston along the Pike costs $2.90 each way — that's about $116 per month for a daily commuter.

Last week, a rebuttal to the cries of Chris Sununu and Howie Carr came racing out of Worcester. State Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester, included an amendment to the Senate Ways and Means Committee budget that might lead to tolls for border-crossers.

"Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the governor shall seek from the U.S. Department of Transportation any and all federal approvals for a waiver to permit tolling at the borders of the commonwealth on any interstate highways that currently do not have tolling," Kennedy's amendment said.

Kennedy said new tolls could be one piece of a solution to fund much needed infrastructure upgrades along some of the state's most traveled highways.

“As we continue to invest in our highway infrastructure, we need to have a serious conversation about sustainable, equitable funding sources,” Kennedy said Tuesday. “This amendment requires the Governor to take the necessary step of seeking federal approval to add tolls to interstate highways that do not currently have tolls so that adding these tolls can be on the table for consideration. We need to invest in all our highways, and the drivers along the Massachusetts Turnpike cannot and should not continue to carry the majority of tolling alone.”

The Senate's $57.9 billion fiscal 2025 spending plan is, of course, just one part of a longer budget process that will include reconciliation with the Healey's $56.1 billion budget and the House's $60 billion proposal.

The Senate is in the midst of debating the 1,100 amendments in the Senate Ways and Means budget, so it's possible Kennedy's equity-in-tolling amendment could be rejected before the larger reconciliation begins. The Senate got about halfway through the amendments on Tuesday, but not the tolling amendment.

If the Senate rejects the amendment, they will be going against the wishes of many voters who regularly pay Mass Pike tolls.