Former Tiverton Woman Organizes Rally Against Tolls
After gaining hundreds of signatures in opposition to the proposed Sakonnet River Bridge tolls, a Tiverton and Portsmouth property owner is planning a rally at Clements' Marketplace in Portsmouth on Friday.
Portsmouth resident Jeanne Smith is doing her part to fight the proposed tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge.
After circulating dozens of petitions at local businesses throughout Newport County and gaining hundreds of signatures, Smith will hold a rally on Friday in Portsmouth that she said will give visibility to those opposing the tolls. Smith, a former Tiverton resident, now lives in the north end of Portsmouth, but still owns property in Tiverton and crosses either the Sakonnet or Newport bridges daily.
The rally is slated to be held during the Friday, Aug. 10 taping of the WPRO's Buddy Cianci Show at Clements' Marketplace in Portsmouth from 3-6 p.m. Smith said demonstrators should grab their signs and gather in the parking lot.
"This has nothing to do with Buddy Cianci, but I figured maybe he could talk to us for five minutes, I thought it would be a good time to rally " said Smith. "There is a lot of traffic that goes by there at that time - Raytheon gets out at that time - so I figured it would give us some good vision."
Smith urges toll opposers to make signs, T-shirts, and anything else that will make some noise against the tolls on the $163.7 million replacement bridge.
While the state Department of Transportation will open the bridge to traffic later this month, the state Turnpike and Bridge Authority is on track to impose the tolls next summer. Out-of-state drivers would pay $4 and in-state EZ Pass holders would be charged 83 cents each way, the same fare as Newport's Claiborne Pell Bridge.
Jim L
7:38 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Sign the petition, Stop the tolls and the increase that it will cause on everything in JUST Newport COUNTY
Powerful Forces
10:12 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Damn you, tolls! I miss JimL's (or was it fake JimL?) fixation with the schools and industrial park. Now he's been distracted. On the bright side, you may have just found the woman of your dreams!
Jim L
1:43 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
p force, once again i thank you, I'm trying to stop something that i believe is harmful to everyone on in NEWport county these tolls will take money from college students school busses. folks who live in Newport county and work in Mass could pay .89 cents, folks who live in Ma and have worked on the island for years will be paying 8.00 dollars a day just to go to work. Ma, kids going to CCRI will get hit, and evreything from the price of babyfood to a round of golf on the island will go up, so i want to thank you and your no named bravery in makeing light of someone's effort to help others have a nice day
Marge Stockbridge
10:51 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
So, a Fall River resident would pay $4.00 to drive to Portsmouth without an EZ pass? So much for attracting business/workersto RI ... I worked at Mansions in Newport on part-time basis...and the salary, believe me, was already minimum wage without another $2 per day for tolls, plus $3.50/gallon for gas from Tiverton/Newport. Sigh.
KSilvia
12:48 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Anyone know if the plan is to be there the entire 3 hours?
Tom
8:24 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
We need Joe to provide full disclosure about his run ins with the police. We can't risk having another Dan Gordon in office.
Joe Sousa.
8:46 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
There he goes again spewing lies on this site. Tom, your nose is growing
Jim L
1:48 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
K silvia i don't believe so Buddy is there ror an annual broadcast he does and the , well the no tolls folks are hopeing he will spare some time to help our cause, anything anyone can do helps, i have petitions in Newpoort middetown and am working to get them in bristol also, The new bridge is much more of a cummunters than a tourist bridge even if upstate things other wise and it is not a done deal, there are options on this, but the first step to get them is to get as many signatures as we can
KSilvia
2:59 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Thanks Jim. Will try to top by.
Mike Silvia
3:12 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Has anything been decided on the toll amount. I'm seeing $4, $2, or $8 Non-RI residents pay $0.83 or $0.89. What is the proposal? Is it $2.00 each way, $4.00 each way, or $4.00 one way? Now for my selfish question... I'm a MA resident who has a part-time residence in Tiverton and need to take the last exit before the bridge to get to my home. Will I have to pay $4.00 every time I want to go to my house if they move the toll to Route 24 between the Stafford and Fish Rd. exits? Will I have to pay the toll every time I use Route 24 to return home from the Dartmouth Mall, Horseneck Beach, etc. even though my car will not use the bridge at all? Can anyone answer these questions? Thanks!
Joe Sousa.
3:58 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
3:58 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Mike the Toll at this point can not be assessed according to the RITBA. They said they will need a new traffic count once the bridge reopens to commercial traffic. The real problem is the RITBA will be floating bonds for road improvements that use to be paid for buy the State DOT / Legislature. So the tolls will only go up once we start paying for the bonds. We need to stop this deal in it's tracks and reverse the legislation that would transfer ownership. There are hundreds of millions in repairs needed in the Area . Tolls could be as much as 4 dollars for localseach way in just a few years.
Mike Silvia
6:06 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Thanks!
Ryanthegirl
7:57 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Issue number 1 for me (thanks Joe) is how can any politician vote to pass or reject anything, without knowing the financial burden or fiscal gain on/to their constituents? I have a feeling someone knows what the amount is. So, as a voter, can we elect a person and then pay them based on how many people they help/screw after they are already elected? If voters feel they sink at their job, can we force them to pay us? No. Is it me or is the cart before the horse?
Jim L
7:49 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
This is going to be so harmfull to newport county, everyone will lose Gray's ice cream,Evelyn's any business in the county on or off the island but on this side of the toll booths, not going to have any effect at all on the reat of the state, just the loss of tax dollars as money is not spent by tourists who drive 200 yards into RI and get hit with an entrance fee never mind the folks that travel that rt evey day for work
Joe Sousa.
12:13 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
People coming to rally should park at the old Shell station . Give the market a break
Ralph Doliber
11:34 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Man, this whole load of crap that Chafe-me dumped on us is just plain unfair..
rally! Rally!! RALLY!!!
My wife is making herself a sign right now. I'll wait 'til the last minute!
Peace to all and TOLLS to NONE..
Ralph Doliber
11:37 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
The proposed Toll will exact a heavy TOLL on Newort County!
jerks..
sarah wheeler
6:11 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
If those toll goes through im going to have to quit my job of twelve year. Im a single mom with two kids , i travel to the island 5 days a week. The toll would mean less food for my kids to eat. This toll is going to criple the island.....