abolition

Five Republican state representatives appeared at a press conference today in Harrisburg to announce the filing of a bill to abolish the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and transfer its assets and functions to the state department of transportation. The bill H2134 was filed by Rep Mike Vereb, 150th District covering Montgomery County on the northwest side of the Philadelphia metro area.

The Turnpike Authority in Massachusetts will formally pass away Oct 30, but the Turnpike itself will live on as a division of a new Massachusetts Department of Transportation that begins Nov 1.  The Turnpike generates $285m/year, a revenue flow there was never any question of the state foregoing.

James Aloisi, Turnpike chairman and a former chief staff lawyer there presided over the last monthly board meeting Thursday.

They may be retiring the quaker hat in Boston MA. Governor Deval Patrick has proposed abolition of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority as part of a comprehensive transport "reform" package that would raise the state gasoline tax by 19c, demand major concessions from labor unions, allow public-private partnerships and reorganize state transport agencies.

Governor Deval Patrick is proposing to abolish the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority - handing over the Metropolitan section to Massachusetts Port Authority (Mass Port) and to de-toll the rural section of the Turnpike west of the MA128 (I-95) circumferential road toward the western outskirts of the Boston metro area. He'd add tolls at the New York state line at the far western end of the Turnpike where it connects to the New York State Thruway.