Is The Free Ride Over?
A forum at the Burnside Building tonight at 7 addresses concerns over proposed fees for the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges.
Since 1998, Rhode Islaners — especially those on the East Bay — have had the option to get onto Aquidneck Island without paying the tolls the Newport Bridge charges. The free ride could soon be coming to an end and crossing onto the island may soon cost drivers money regardless of the route they take. The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority hopes so. The authority — which already approved raising rates on the Newport Pell Bridge — has proposed adding fees to the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges. The tolls would range from 52 cents to $3.25 each way. The Newport bridge is scheduled to increase from $4 to $5 for cash-paying drivers. Those using an E-Z pass pay less than $1. Residents have voiced strong opposition to the plan and …
In this Article:
Roger Lord
10:55 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
It's now time for the General Assembly to take the necessary steps to dissolve the Turnpike and Bridge Authority. That group is out of control and resorting to "in your face" decisions because they don't like the criticism. Can you imagine living on an island where you must pay to get to it and pay to leave it? What a sorry bunch that would even consider such an unfair decision. Show some guts, … more ›