York, ME Toll Plaza's Renovations

YORK— Maine Turnpike wants to invest money in the York Toll Plaza making the toll more accessible and allowing the mass quantity of vehicles to travel I-95 each day. By advancing to an all-electronic lanes or making the toll payable at the end either ends of the Interstate.

The citizens of York, ME and the Maine Turnpike Authority’s, or MTA, have discussed many options to the toll plaza plan. Local residents want the toll plaza to construct two more toll stations at the York toll, instead of putting about five new booths between Wells and New Gloucester. It would cost more to build five tollbooths between Wells and New Gloucester.

Tollbooths have changed to electronically pass system and have been losing the coin system. Electronically going through tolls is said to be more efficient to save money and time when traveling. Massachusetts has developed the electrical system on main highways, and cut their traffic down in the state’s rush-hour times. Maine has committed to having at least two booths at the tolls to the all EZ-pass technology. Authorities have calculated that “fifty-seven percent of drivers going through the Interstate 95 toll plaza in York already pay the toll electronically through EZ-Pass system”.

Morse, S. (2010, February 24). York resident presents alternative toll plan. Retrieved from http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20100224-NEWS-2240315

York resident, Robert Wade, has presented the MTA and Think Again, an organization that is protesting the building the two new tollbooths at York toll plaza. Wade believes that the cash payments at I-95 exits would be more beneficial and would save in revenue. The York toll plaza is “the most important on the Maine Turnpike, making some $34m or 40% of its annual revenue on some on an average 44k transactions/day”. This new development would put the town of York in danger of producing health risks to the water supply. That is why the Maine Turnpike Authority would rather put four to five tollbooths between Wells and New Gloucester.

Samuel, P. (2010, January 6). Maine turnpike authority pushes on with fight for big new ort + cash toll plaza. Retrieved from http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4526

It is a struggling debate on this issue could possibly be put on a ten-year hold. A meeting on Tuesday, in Portland, was to look at Wade’s plan on the alternative strategy to the York toll plaza. The meeting was between MTA. Wade believes that this is the best way to spend government funds wisely. It is possible that the MTA could choose a number of options.