Tuesday, June 18, 2013
The House Finance Committee sent its 2013-14 budget recommendations without alternatives to bridge tolls.
Bridge toll opponents received some very bad news on Tuesday. The Rhode Island House Finance Committee sent its 2013-14 budget recommendations to the full House without any alternative funding plans instead of bridge tolls, according to Bill Clark, business director for the town of Portsmouth. "They did not include alternate funding for bridge maintenance which means they did nothing to stop new tolls," Clark wrote in an e-mail. "Now is the time to flood our reps and senators, and especially Speaker of the House, Gordon D. Fox, with e-mails and calls... "Solve the statewide problem with a statewide solution." Legislators in the East Bay were fighting pending bridge tolls with pending bills, including H-6210. Bridge tolls are expected …
Friday, June 14, 2013
Beginning on June 25, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) will discount the cost of its E-ZPass transponders from its usual price of $20.95 to just $10.
For a limited time beginning on June 25, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) will discount the cost of its E-ZPass transponders from its usual price of $20.95 to just $10. In addition, RITBA will give a $10 credit to the new E-ZPass account to be applied to future toll expenses. During the promotional period, RITBA will add additional locations where people can apply for the transponders. They include Bristol, Middletown, Tiverton, and Roger Williams University at the former Ramada Inn. Applications are also available at RITBA headquarters. Full details about the promotion, dates, hours and locations can be found at www.ritba.org, The new E-ZPass accounts will begin with a $35 balance (i.e., the $10 transponder …
Monday, June 3, 2013
The town of Portsmouth issued a "stop-work" order on the new Sakonnet River Bridge on Friday.
The town of Portsmouth's building inspector issued a "stop-work order" on part of the new Sakonnet River Bridge's toll system this past Friday, reports The Sakonnet Times. According to the article, the order was issued on a structure connected to the new toll gantry, which was installed just before the Memorial Day weekend. It is unknown if the order is for the gantry itself. The order was issued due a lack of electrical permit, reports The Sakonnet Times. The open-road toll system will take several weeks to test, but bridge tolls are expected to begin this July. Meanwhile, several towns have joined Portsmouth's lawsuit against several defendants, including the state's Department of Transportation director and the Rhode Island Turnpike…
Thursday, May 30, 2013
A U.S. District Court judge decided ruled that the court would not block tolling on the Sakonnet River Bridge during a hearing in chambers on Wednesday.
A federal judge refused to grant a restriction that would block tolling on the Sakonnet River Bridge during a hearing Wednesday afternoon, according to a Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority official. The town of Portsmouth submitted a request for a restraining order against toll collection pending the outcome of a lawsuit that could reverse the Federal Highway Administration's decision to allow tolling. Senior Judge Ronald R. Lagueux ruled this afternoon to allow the RITBA to continue its move toward toll collection and also delayed allowing Tiverton and Bristol from joining the Portsmouth lawsuit against tolls. "The 1st of July is our timeframe at this point [to start collection]," said David Darlington, RITBA chairman. "We are …
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
A U.S. District Court judge has scheduled a hearing for this afternoon.
The town of Portsmouth's request for a restraining order against further construction of tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge will be heard at a hearing this afternoon in U.S. District Court, but it might be too late. A U.S. District Court judge has scheduled a hearing on the order for this afternoon, reports The Associated Press. However, the request might be too late. The state Department of Transportation completed installating a toll gantry or open-road toll system on the new Sakonnet River Bridge last Friday, before the Memorial Day weekend. The system will take weeks to test, but tolls are expected to begin in early July. The restraining order request is part of a lawsuit filed by the town of Portsmouth in reaction to bridge …
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The Tiverton Town Council is considering joining Portsmouth in its lawsuit against the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority and DOT Director.
[Updated at 7:39 p.m.] The Tiverton Town Council will join Portsmouth in a lawsuit against several defendants, including the state's Department of Transportation director and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. The Tiverton Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to join the lawsuit, according to witnesses at the meeting. The Portsmouth Town Council recently filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in an effort to stop bridge tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge. The lawsuit accuses the RITBA and Michael Lewis, director of the DOT, of violating the Federal-Aid Highway Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Meanwhile, the DOT installed a toll gantry or electronic toll system over the new Sakonnet River Bridge…
Friday, May 24, 2013
Construction crews are expected to finish installing the toll gantry in Portsmouth on Friday morning.
Commuters traveling from Portsmouth over the Sakonnet River Bridge on Route 24 will drive underneath the tolling gantry for the first time Friday morning - but they won't be charged until this summer. Although construction crews are slated to complete the installation of the tolling infrastructure by early Friday morning, the technology won't be ready to start charging drivers for at least another three to four weeks. "Yes, tonight [Thursday] it will be erected across the roadway and be up by the time people get up tomorrow [Friday] morning, but this doesn't mean it will be operational," said David Darlington, chairman of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. "By [Friday] morning, it will just be in place. Equipment will still…
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The town of Portsmouth filed a restraining order in U.S. District Court against the implementation of bridge tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge Thursday.
The town of Portsmouth filed a restraining order in U.S. District Court on Thursday against the implementation of bridge tolls, only a day after the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced construction of a toll system. The temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction calls for restraining the defendents from proceeding in any way with or towards the imposition of tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge, including the transfer of the bridge from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, and any actions relating to the construction and installation of a proposed All Electronic Toll Collection (AETC) system. The full order reads as follows: Plaintiff, the Town of …
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority will install open-road toll booths by Memorial Day weekend.
An open-road toll system will be installed on the new Sakonnet River Bridge by this Memorial Day weekend, reports ABC6.com. Despite pending legislation against the bridge's transfer, a lawsuit filed by the town of Portsmouth and widespread local opposition to tolls, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority plans to install an open-road toll system before the holiday weekend, according to ABC6.com. The cost to install open-road tolling totals as much as $2 million, the RITBA chairman previously stated to Patch. The cost for the arbor, or arch over the bridge, costs about $400,000 alone. Costs are added for the transmitters, cameras and other electronics in the arbor. RITBA previously approved a toll schedule of $.75 for vehicles …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Seasonal businesses across the East Bay speak out against tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge.
Seasonal business owners in the East Bay are worried that a toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge could alienate their already inconstant business. In a business that is largely motivated by weather, business owners at Tiverton and Portsmouth's popular summer-time eateries agreed that a toll would be a deterrent to customers. "The sales tax dollars from small businesses over here help the whole state and I can't imagine we're going to end up making more by adding this toll," said Domenic Bitto, who owns the Tiverton seafood shack Evelyn's Drive-In with his wife. Bitto, like other business owners in the region attended hearings with the state Department of Transportation in protest to a Sakonnet River Bridge toll. "We get a lot of people who …
Robert Oliveira
8:55 am on Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Jim L, why can't you get this math?? It takes 26 votes to hold up a budget. Right now, the only announced "No" is Rep. Newberry. That's over the 38 studio deal. So, once again giving the other 10 East Bay Reps and Rep Guthrie, where are your other 14 votes?? If you can't name them, please stop spreading foolishness. more ›