Sakonnet River Bridge Tolls

Due to years of neglect on the part of the RI Department of Transportation, the Sakonnet River Bridge needed a replacement.  In September 2012, the new bridge opened and cars began to pass.  At the urging of Governor Lincoln Chafee, the General Assembly's Fiscal Year 2013 budget included a very unfair provision: the new bridge was transferred to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) which promptly decided that the bridge must have a toll to pay for its maintenance...

...as well as maintenance of other roads and bridges throughout the state!

The Sakonnet River Bridge has been dubbed "the working man's bridge" because of the high percentage of people traveling each way daily to get to work. For out-of-state travelers, the toll is projected to be $4 each way which amounts to over $2000 per year with or without an EZPass device.  Rhode Islanders with an EZPass will pay 83¢ each way or over $400 per year. Looking at the figure below which shows the scaled lengths of the 4 main bridges, it is clearly unfair that the smallest of the bridges, the Sakonnet River Bridge, will get tolled at the same rate as the largest bridge, the Newport Bridge, and will support the rest of Rhode Island's transportation systems despite what they say! 

 

MAKE NO MISTAKE! THIS IS A TAX!

With the exception of Rep. Dan Reilly (R-Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth), Sen. Walter Felag (D-Bristol, Tiverton, Warren), and Rep. Dan Gordon (R-Little Compton, Portsmouth, Tiverton), all our local senators and representatives voted to let this happen by voting for the state's Fiscal Year 2013 budget.

Here are the senators & representatives who voted yes:

·         Sen. Ottiano, Bristol, Portsmouth

·         Sen. DiPalma, Ltl Compton, Portsmouth Tiverton

·         Sen. Paiva-Weed, Newport

·         Rep. Malik, Barrington, Warren

·         Rep. Morrison, Bristol, Warren

·         Rep. Gallison, Bristol, Portsmouth

·         Rep. Edwards, Portsmouth, Tiverton

·         Rep. Jackson, Middletown, Newport

·         Rep. Ruggiero, Jamestown, Middletown

·         Rep. Martin, Newport

Remember these people when you vote on November 6th.  And don't forget Governor Chafee in two years from now when he comes up for reelection.

A group called STOP (Sakonnet Tolls Opposition Panel) has formed on the East Bay to pressure elected officials and the Governor to avoid tolls on the bridge.  STOP includes people from Little Compton, Tiverton, Bristol, Middletown, Portsmouth, the Tea Party, RI Statewide Coalition, and others.  Five members of the Little Compton Taxpayers Association are part of this group.

What should happen? Get rid of the RITBA and its $5-Million in salaries/benefits/admin-costs, transfer the bridge back to the Dept of Transportation (DOT), fix the RI budget, force the DOT to budget/spend intelligently, and seek federal funding (something Brendan Doherty and Barry Hinkley have pledged to do, but both David Cicilline and Sheldon Whitehouse want nothing to do with it).