Fare or Fair? Bill Pushes New Tolls On I-93, I-95, Routes 1, 2

BOSTON, MA -- The free ride that commuters that live south and north and northwest of Boston have enjoyed for years may soon come to an end. State Sen. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn) is pushing a plan that would add tolls to Interstate 93 into Boston, Interstate 95 around Boston, Route 1 south of I-95, and Route 2 between Alewife and I-95. McGee's bill is aimed at more evenly distributing the burden of tolls, which are now only levied against drivers west of the city traveling on the Mass Pike to and from the city and the sliver of North Shore commuters who use the Tobin Bridge.

McGee's plan would also implement peak pricing "aimed at easing congestion and maximizing environmental benefits." It does not call for specific toll amounts; McGee said he is primarily focused on evening out the toll burden which hits his constituents who use the Sumner and Callahan Tunnels, as well as the Tobin Bridge, to get in and out of Boston.

"In many ways we are paying our own tax and not seeing the benefits, we need to be fair and equitable about how we toll," McGee told the Boston Herald, which was first to report on his plan. Drivers with EZ Pass pay 50 cents entering Boston on the Mass Pike through the Allston tolls, $1.25 going over the Tobin Bridge and $1.50 going through the Sumner, Callahan and Ted Williams tunnels.

The debate is not new. For decades MetroWest commuters have said they are unfairly targeted by tolls. And for just as long, commuters from north of Boston and the South Shore have fired back in an effort to protect their toll-free commutes.

Watch: New Fare Aims To Make Things Fair

"This is not going to stop there, and once they’re installed they’ll be there forever, and there’ll be regular increases," state Rep. David DeCoste (R-Norwell) -- whose constituents primarily commute on toll-free Route 3 -- told the Herald. "This will never end."

For more on this story, see the Boston Herald.

Image via shutterstock

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).