Route 3 Tolls Considered To Create More Space For Traffic
BOSTON (CBS) – Tolls might be an option to create more space on Route 3.
The state has been trying to find a solution to heavy traffic on the highway south of Boston for years.
Frank DePaola, chief operating officer for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, said they've come up with two alternative concepts.
"They both provide additional lane capacity on Route 3. One is an additional lane in each direction of travel that would be dedicated 100-percent of the time and that lane would be tolled for its use," he told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
"The other option is to have two lanes constructed together and have those lanes be reversible in direction so that they can be dedicated in the highest desired direction of travel so inbound, or northbound in the morning, and southbound in the afternoon, Monday through Friday, as a way to maximize the added lane capacity."
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The tolls would be collected electronically, like the open road tolling on the Tobin Bridge. Drivers would pay-by-plate or by transponder.
But how much would the toll cost?
"It hasn't been nailed down, but across the country, there are lanes like this in Virginia, Texas, Florida and some other states.," DePaola told WBZ.
"It's actually variable, in that, depending on the time of day and the volume in the lane, the toll will actually go up because it's more desirable. So, it's hard to quote numbers but it could go from free at some point in the day to several dollars at other points of the day."
The project would cost approximately $800 million.
DOT will hold a joint public hearing with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council Thursday morning at Hingham Town Hall to answer questions and get feedback.
"We're trying to test the idea with the community and the legislators. Legislatively, we have the authorization to go forward with projects like this that are privately financed but funded through some kind of toll or revenue formula. Now that we've located some test projects, we're trying to test their acceptance level within these regions," DePaola said.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
