Plan to Remove Exit 12 Tolls Stalls in House Committee

A plan to remove the toll booths at Exit 12 in Merrimack may have stalled at least until 2014 when state legislators take up a plan fix the entire turnpike system, according to an article in Nashua Telegraph.

Senate Bill 3, a bill that calls for the removal at the ramp tolls at Exit 12 only, was approved as amended by the Senate back in March. The original bill, sponsored by Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, who represents Merrimack, called for removal of all three toll booths in Merrimack on Exits 10, 11 and 12.

On Tuesday, a hearing in the House Public Works and Highways Committee, did not go as favorably for the bill after committee Chairman David Campbell, D-Nashua, suggested holding the bill until 2014 so it could be packaged into a overhaul of the turnpike system that may include finding $480 million in needed projects such as widening the F.E. Everett Turnpike from Nashua to Bedford.

While Bragdon said he could support hanging onto the bill as long a solution for relief in Merrimack is found sooner rather than later in the highway plan, other co-sponsors, like Dick Barry, R-Merrimack, was not as supportive, saying if Exit 12 isn't addressed now, it's going to get lost and nothing will ever happen.

The committee did not take a vote on the bill Tuesday and but it will have to make a recommendation on it this session. A whole House vote is not required if the committee decides to table the bill until 2014.

Read the full story at the Nashua Telegraph and check back with Patch for more on this story.