Plan for Higher Tolls Tries to Spread Pain ; Out-of-Staters Would Pay More, As Would Mainers, but E-Zpass Users Would Be Spared.

Summary

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Some motorists would pay as much as 67 percent more to drive on the Maine Turnpike while others could see their tolls drop by 33 percent under a proposed rate structure to be released today by the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Out-of-state motorists, commercial operators and drivers who pay cash would bear the brunt of the proposed toll hikes, which will average 30 percent statewide. Motorists who pay their tolls electronically through the turnpike's E-ZPass system would be spared much of the increase. And fares for commuter program participants would fluctuate up or down by a few dollars each quarter, or stay about the same.

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Extract

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Plan for Higher Tolls Tries to Spread Pain ; Out-of-Staters Would Pay More, As Would Mainers, but E-Zpass Users Would Be Spared.

Last month, turnpike directors announced plans to raise tolls a year ahead of schedule. They said $20 million in new revenue is needed to cover the escalating cost of improving and maintaining the 106-mile highway, as traffic counts and toll revenues sag.

"This (highway) is the most important part of the traffic infrastructure," said Paul Violette,...

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