New Hampshire toll rates raised 29%

New Hampshire's Executive Council voted yesterday 4 to 1 to raise state toll rates by an overall 29%. Toll revenues are expected to rise from the present $82m/yr to $106m on a full year basis. It's the first toll increase since 1989 during which time the buying power of the dollar has eroded 38.6%. (http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/)

The state DOT proposed toll increases they said would increase revenues by $16m or about 20% but the executive councilors who are elected for two year terms from five state districts added some extra toll increases on I-95 to boost that to the $24m or 29%.

The four who voted in favor were two Republicans and two Democrats. The dissenter Deborah Pignatelli (Dem) represents the central district where she is part of a campaign to abolish tolls on ramps in Merrimack on the Everett or Central Turnpike.

Base tolls rising 50%

On I-95 at the mainline Hampton toll plaza cash tolls for private cars are rising $1.00 to $1.50 and commercial vehicles $1.00 (New Hampshire E-ZPass transponder private accounts get a 30% discount, commercial 10%)

The Hampton Ramp plaza servicing I-95 to NH101 movements go up from 509c to 75c.

On the eastern Spaulding Turnpike tolls are being increased from 50c to 75c at the two mainline plazas at Dover and Rochester.

On the Everett Turnpike running up from the Massachusetts border in the center of the state tolls are also going up from 75c to $1.00 at the mainline plazas at Hookset and Bedford. (CORRECTION: earlier we had this wrong. TOLLROADSnews 2007-10-05 17:10) Commercial vehicle tolls at all these locations rise by double the car rise - by 50c.

The toll increases are authorized to go into effect from Oct 22.

To download existing toll rates click hereabouts.

O'Leary fiesty commissioner

The toll increase is primarily the work of a gutsy new Transportation Commissioner Charles O'Leary who dramatized the financial state of the state's highway system after being appointed by Governor John Lynch in March to fill the position for just eight months.

An engineer and MBA'd businessman, O'Leary who had been commissioner 1990-1996 made his move within weeks by publishing lists of road improvement projects that would have to be cancelled or shelved for lack of funds. It was almost everything on the books. He also said he'd have to layoff a quarter of the state DOT including inspectors of bridges.

That kind of shock candor set off widespread public debate in this ultra-democratic state where everyone is an expert on everything and everything seems to be voted on. After a few months of argument there was widespread support for toll increases.

O'Leary 66 has a quick wit - a reporters dream. When commissioner in the early 1990s he once said so many of the state's bridges were in poor condition his advice to motorists was: "Drive fast and don't look back."

He has recently recommended that a major advisory board to the state DOT be expanded in membership to encompass more officlals, and that the state's ten year transport plan be reduced to six years to force harder decisions.

To support $200m+ projects

The toll increases will be used to issue new debt of about $250m to support capital projects.

Highest priority projects are about 15 bridge reconstructions plus widening to 2+ 2 lanes the present 2 lane northern portion of the Spaulding Turnpike in Rochester. The 8.4km (5.2mile) widening project is estimated to cost $177m.

New Hampshire's turnpikes total 150km (93 miles) and 1015 lane-km (631 lane-miles) and comprise the busiest highways in the state, though the tolling with few ramp tolled ramps is a mix of tolled and free travel - always controversial and subject to campaigns citing unfairness.

The Turnpike system is operated as a division or bureau of the state DOT.

Electronic tolling with the E-ZPass brand has been in operation since August 2005 and now does 51% of New Hampshire transactions.

Average daily toll transactions - electronic plus cash - are around 300k.

TOLLROADSnews 2007-10-04

CORRECTION: 2007-10-05 17:10