Maine

Paul Violette's lawyer says the longtime head of the Maine Turnpike is prepared to plead guilty to charges by the state attorney-general of thievery amounting to some $10,000 so long as the state doesn't ask for more than five years in jail - an eight year sentence with five years to be served. The charges carry a maximum of ten years served in jail.

His lawyer says he wants to "get this behind him."

Paul Violette, the 23-year executive director of the Maine Turnpike now has a criminal charge to face - felony theft of gift cards, travel, meals and other personal indulgences on the Turnpike's account. The AP is reporting this from the state attorney-general's office. A spokesman is quoted as saying the charge specifies thievery of "more than $10,000."

Apparently Violette is pleading guilty.

Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire have agreed to treat one another's toll violators according to local toll enforcement rules. The agreement provides for end-of-the-line sanctions when motorists who have used tollroads fail to pay tolls, ignore late notices and violation fees.

Maine native and toll systems engineer Daryl S Fleming has previously worked as a consultant to the town of York and advised them that all-electronic tolling (AET) is the most cost-effective collection mode for the controversial toll plaza there at the southern end of the Maine Turnpike. He argues here against the idea of doing a hybrid open road toll in the center with cash-to-the-sides (ORT+cash) at the existing plaza:

It's not an elegant solution, nor a permanent one, but perhaps it's the compromise that's needed to resolve the tumultuous arguments over the Maine Turnpike's York Toll Plaza - half-ORT+cash in-place.

Former Maine Turnpike chief executive Paul Violette is being subpoenaed by the Maine Legislature's Government Oversight Committee to answer questions about nearly half a million dollars in donations made 2005 to 2009 that are sketchily accounted for.

Maine's governor Paul LePage has backed away from previous statements that the Maine Turnpike should be folded into the state DOT and the Turnpike Authority abolished. He said in public appearances Friday that although there would be short-term advantages in abolition, its continuation would benefit economic development.

There are TV and radio news reports out of Portland Maine that the Turnpike's longtime CEO Paul Violette is resigning. Nothing is confirmed or official but the Turnpike board is meeting today, and they're scheduled to go into a closed "executive session" to discuss personnel matters.

A transport lobby group in Maine is suggesting that portions of the interstate highway system south of Augusta be transferred to the Maine Turnpike Authority, and that the long hoped-for east-west highway across the state be investor-developed.

Says Maine Better Transportation Association's recently released paper titled "Transportation: the Case for Investment":

New bridges needed between Kittery Maine and Portsmouth New Hampshire will probably be toll financed, officials say. The bridges are planned as replacements for the World War Memorial Bridge that carries old US1 through the middle of the twin cites, and the Sarah Milfred Long or Middle Bridge that carries a US1 Bypass just around them.