Massachusetts now looking to do new tolls

[PHLBOS]

I've personally seen I-84 East back up during the latter part (return time) of some 3-day holiday weekends (Sunday or Monday evenings depending on which 3-day weekend it is).  Sometimes, the backups only extend as far as Exit 2; other times into the CT state line.  FYI, I'm usually in the Bay State during most holiday weekends so I've seen the above first-hand.  Thankfully, I'm heading in the opposite direction when this has happened. 

With regards to Fast Lane/EZPass: the toll plaza itself has 12 lanes total with at the most 7 lanes dedicated/open in one direction.  6 of those lanes (3 for each direction can accept EZPass with 1 of those 3 lanes in each direction accepting both cash & EZPass tranactions).  Given the traffic volumes and the masses that do not have EZPass at that time, traffic can still back up.  Pre-Fast Lane, eastbound 84 traffic backups probably extended a few miles into CT; this was especially true prior to tolls being waived during the holidays (the toll-takers would just wave people through).

Toll plaza & EZPass aside I-90 Eastbound traffic from I-84 to Exit 10 (I-290/395/MA 12) during said-times can be at a stand-still as well (that stretch of the Pike is a bottleneck).  That can also contribute to the backups along eastbound I-84 as well as much traffic spilling onto nearby US 20.

   

[Interstatefan78]

What about tolling I-95 from MA/RI stateline up to Attleboro and if they do it would have dumped Boston/Providence traffic onto US-1 and cause delays on the RI side of the stateline

[deathtopumpkins]

Apparently the date for restoration of tolls west of exit 6 on the pike has been set as October 15.

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/western-turnpike-tolls-public-hearings-set/

[kkt]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Massachusetts is a high-tax state.

[hotdogPi]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Massachusetts is a high-tax state.

Massachusetts sales tax: 6.25% + .75% local tax almost everywhere for a total of 7%.

On my trip around the country (combines state and local)
Chicago: 9% tax.
Flagstaff and Sedona, AZ: Slightly over 10%.

[kkt]

Sales tax isn't everything.  Look also at the state income tax, property tax, and random fees.

[PHLBOS]

Sales tax isn't everything.  Look also at the state income tax, property tax, and random fees.

Don't forget excise taxes on motor vehicles.

[deathtopumpkins]

Sales tax isn't everything.  Look also at the state income tax, property tax, and random fees.

No, its not everything, but for those of us that haven't recently purchased a car and don't own a home (an abnormally high portion of the state), it matters significantly more than what you listed. MA having no sales tax on essentials (food, clothes) makes a significant difference when compared to lower-tax states that do tax items like food.

[kkt]

Sales tax isn't everything.  Look also at the state income tax, property tax, and random fees.

No, its not everything, but for those of us that haven't recently purchased a car and don't own a home (an abnormally high portion of the state), it matters significantly more than what you listed. MA having no sales tax on essentials (food, clothes) makes a significant difference when compared to lower-tax states that do tax items like food.

Income tax varies highly between states.  http://www.tax-brackets.org/massachusettstaxtable says Massachusetts has 5.3% income tax on all income, so a first estimate for total tax burden would be 7% + 5.3% = 12.3%.  Compare the several states that have no personal income tax.

It's a good gesture to low-income people to exempt food and maybe clothes, but even in the lower incomes those are a pretty small part of the total budget.

Property tax is still relevant even if you're renting.  The property owner passes it on to the tenants.

Being a high tax state isn't necessarily bad, if you're getting government services that work, reasonable tuition at state colleges, etc.  As an example of not having government services that work, take the public schools in Washington.  The state only pays the local districts for half-day kindergarten, but full-day is educationally much better, so some local school districts require kids to have full-day and require the parents to make up $3100 a year that the state doesn't pay.  People who's income is low enough to qualify for free lunch are exempt, but being able to pay about $630 for a year's school lunches doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to come up with $3100.  Similarly, in high schools 6 periods a day are free, some school districts allow students to take a 7th period but charge for it. 

[jeffandnicole]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Massachusetts is a high-tax state.

Massachusetts sales tax: 6.25% + .75% local tax almost everywhere for a total of 7%.

On my trip around the country (combines state and local)
Chicago: 9% tax.
Flagstaff and Sedona, AZ: Slightly over 10%.

While NJ residents tend to be heavily taxed (which I'm not disagreeing with), as this points out, there's much more to taxes than what is printed.

When NJ went from a 6% to 7% Sales Tax, it was noted that 7% is one of the highest state sales taxes in the nation...which is true. Except, the uninformed and don't really give a damn newspaper reporters fail to understand that other states have county and city sales taxes as well, which may push those areas above 7%. 

Same thing with property taxes - we definitely have high property taxes. But, in most areas, they include things like snow plowing and trash/recycling pickup.  Many areas of the country with lower taxes have to pay for that stuff themselves.  So they may have lower taxes, but they may pay a lot in contracting separately with a trash company.

[deathtopumpkins]

Sales tax isn't everything.  Look also at the state income tax, property tax, and random fees.

No, its not everything, but for those of us that haven't recently purchased a car and don't own a home (an abnormally high portion of the state), it matters significantly more than what you listed. MA having no sales tax on essentials (food, clothes) makes a significant difference when compared to lower-tax states that do tax items like food.

Income tax varies highly between states.  http://www.tax-brackets.org/massachusettstaxtable says Massachusetts has 5.3% income tax on all income, so a first estimate for total tax burden would be 7% + 5.3% = 12.3%.  Compare the several states that have no personal income tax.

Yes, note how I didn't mention income tax in my reply. That's because I'm not contesting that we have a significant income tax. I notice that every paycheck.

It's a good gesture to low-income people to exempt food and maybe clothes, but even in the lower incomes those are a pretty small part of the total budget.

As someone in the lowest of income brackets, no, food is actually a very significant portion of our total budget. Think about it - $100 a week for groceries at 6.25% tax means you're paying $325 in taxes on food annually. That extra $325 helps out a lot! I'll take any break I can get.

Property tax is still relevant even if you're renting.  The property owner passes it on to the tenants.

Then why is rent surprisingly cheap in this state outside of Boston proper? My rent is SIGNIFICANTLY less here than it was in Virginia, for a comparable place.

Being a high tax state isn't necessarily bad, if you're getting government services that work

Which we are, IMO.

[Duke87]

The "new" tolls will be $1.75 for 53 miles. Meh. The MassPike is still a cheap toll road.

[PHLBOS]

Property tax is still relevant even if you're renting.  The property owner passes it on to the tenants.

Then why is rent surprisingly cheap in this state outside of Boston proper? My rent is SIGNIFICANTLY less here than it was in Virginia, for a comparable place.

What part of Virginia were you living at?  If it was in the Metro DC area, that's not too much of surprise.  OTOH, average rents inside of 495 (talking MA again), outside of slums, is still higher than average rents in most* metro areas like the Greater Philadelphia/Delware Valley area. 

*We won't even bring metro NYC, metro Seattle and the major CA cities into the picture because their rates are likely off the charts.

The rent (still a 3-digit monthly figure) for my one-bedroom in Delaware County (PA) would likely be one-and-a-half times higher for a similar apartment in a similar neighborhood inside 495.

Being a high tax state isn't necessarily bad, if you're getting government services that actually work

FTFY

Which we are, IMO.

That could be open for debate.  If waste & fraud (think EBT/MassHealth card abuse) were eliminated, many of these increases would likely not be needed or wouldn't be as severe.

[deathtopumpkins]

Hampton Roads.
Admittedly the military plays a huge role in inflating rent down there, but I went from $1250 there to $850 here for a comparable place.

And yes I live inside 495.

The waste and fraud you mention are problems in ANY state though - hardly limited to Massachusetts.


At the risk of derailing this thread even further, my cost of living in exurban MA is significantly lower than it was in suburban VA, and there are significantly more government-funded services available to me.

[southshore720]

Update on the MassPike tolls:
http://www.wcvb.com/news/tolls-coming-back-to-west-newton-under-new-tollig-system/26548872#!0JJZe

[jp the roadgeek]

Looks like that would be of benefit for those cutting from I-84 to I-290,  as the toll would be reduced from 50 to 40 cents.  The Hartford-Providence northern option (to MA 146) would reduce from 65 to 40 cents, and the Cape/Patriots crowd (I-495)  would reduce from 1.10 to 80 cents.

[PHLBOS]

If the above is indeed implemented/constructed; it would allow for more interchanges to be constructed west of Weston (the toll-ticket corridor) because the abolishment of the toll-ticket system would mean less space will be required to build a new interchange (i.e. no more twin-trumpets).

[Pete from Boston]

I couldn't find the full details of the plan either on the MassDOT web site or elsewhere.  Does anyone have a link to it?

[SidS1045]

I couldn't find the full details of the plan either on the MassDOT web site or elsewhere.  Does anyone have a link to it?

If you have an online subscription to The Boston Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/06/18/turnpike-tolls-resume-newton-while-charges-will-reduced-springfield-worcester/QQEy4cWpTksU7K6cs11gDK/story.html?p1=Article_InThisSection_Top

Otherwise, a summary:
--Switchover in the summer of 2016 to AET on the MassPike.
--Each tolling gantry a 2-axle vehicle passes = a charge of 40 cents.
--Gantries will be placed so that local trips in the Worcester (exits 10, 10A and 11) and Springfield (4,5 and 6) areas will be toll-free.
--The eastbound entrance at interchange 17 (Newton Corner) will once again charge a toll.
--In many cases tolls under AET will be cheaper than existing interchange-to-interchange tolls.
--Many drivers are still upset about their Turnpike tolls going to pay for other roads.
--Therefore, if the AET rollout is successful, tolling of other roads may be considered.

[MikeTheActuary]

--Switchover in the summer of 2016 to AET on the MassPike.

That would be one way to address my wish that they add more EZPass lanes to the 128-to-WB Pike toll plaza.

All too often when coming home from working in Boston, I'll bag up my EZPass because the lines to go through the EZPass lane are slow while there's no waiting to just get a paper ticket.

[Brandon]

--Switchover in the summer of 2016 to AET on the MassPike.

That would be one way to address my wish that they add more EZPass lanes to the 128-to-WB Pike toll plaza.

All too often when coming home from working in Boston, I'll bag up my EZPass because the lines to go through the EZPass lane are slow while there's no waiting to just get a paper ticket.

Wouldn't your EZ-Pass work in all lanes?  I can use a lane with an attendant here in Illinois with my I-Pass at any toll plaza in the system, and it is set up with readers for the I-Pass.

[Pete from Boston]

I couldn't find the full details of the plan either on the MassDOT web site or elsewhere.  Does anyone have a link to it?

If you have an online subscription to The Boston Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/06/18/turnpike-tolls-resume-newton-while-charges-will-reduced-springfield-worcester/QQEy4cWpTksU7K6cs11gDK/story.html?p1=Article_InThisSection_Top

Otherwise, a summary:
--Switchover in the summer of 2016 to AET on the MassPike.
--Each tolling gantry a 2-axle vehicle passes = a charge of 40 cents.
--Gantries will be placed so that local trips in the Worcester (exits 10, 10A and 11) and Springfield (4,5 and 6) areas will be toll-free.
--The eastbound entrance at interchange 17 (Newton Corner) will once again charge a toll.
--In many cases tolls under AET will be cheaper than existing interchange-to-interchange tolls.
--Many drivers are still upset about their Turnpike tolls going to pay for other roads.
--Therefore, if the AET rollout is successful, tolling of other roads may be considered.

Yes, I read the article, but there is information missing, such as what exactly the toll divisions are.  In other words, I'd like to know where the gantries are, so I can understand if it's a more equitable system per mile then what exists now.

--Switchover in the summer of 2016 to AET on the MassPike.

That would be one way to address my wish that they add more EZPass lanes to the 128-to-WB Pike toll plaza.

All too often when coming home from working in Boston, I'll bag up my EZPass because the lines to go through the EZPass lane are slow while there's no waiting to just get a paper ticket.

That is one of the only places I know where EZ-Pass is the slower option.

[MikeTheActuary]

Wouldn't your EZ-Pass work in all lanes?  I can use a lane with an attendant here in Illinois with my I-Pass at any toll plaza in the system, and it is set up with readers for the I-Pass.

You'd think that MassPike would have done this...but that's not the case.

Actually, considering how congested that toll plaza gets at the height of the evening commute, I could easily imagine a bureaucrat deciding that it would be just too easy for a non-EZpass vehicle to slip through the toll both without getting a ticket, and then fussing over the toll when trying to exit without that ticket.

At least this way, it's simple: everyone who goes through a manual lane must take a ticket.

Besides, this way, the (surprisingly few) people bright enough to take down their transponders get to bypass part of the queue, if the queue is bad.

[SidS1045]

I'd like to know where the gantries are, so I can understand if it's a more equitable system per mile then what exists now.

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/assets_c/2013/08/piketollreplace1a-110907.html

[hotdogPi]

If the above is indeed implemented/constructed; it would allow for more interchanges to be constructed west of Weston (the toll-ticket corridor) because the abolishment of the toll-ticket system would mean less space will be required to build a new interchange (i.e. no more twin-trumpets).

I would put the new interchanges at MA 8 and MA 23.