Both the state’s House of Representatives and Senate have passed Gov. Gina Raimondo’s controversial plan to charge truckers toll fees to help pay for the state’s deteriorating bridges and roads.
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The Democrat-controlled House shot down several amendments, including one by Republicans to ease the toll burden on local truckers by giving them subsidies and tax credits.
According to the RhodeWorks proposal, it would cost roughly $20 in tolls for tractor-trailer to cross the state one-way using Interstate 95 and other interstate offshoots as those vehicles cross 14 proposed electronic toll markers, each costing about $3. The maximum for a truck for a single day would be capped at $40. The Rhode Island Trucking Association (RITA) has warned lawmakers that truck drivers will avoid traveling through the state if the Class 8 truck tolls are enacted.
“Rhode Island said they’d fix that by banning trucks from leaving the highway, but we’d see them in court over that too”.
Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, who a year ago was the plan’s most powerful skeptic, became one of its most commanding champions in recent weeks as he called for on-the-fence Democrats to support it. He pushed for swift passage, scheduling the House vote just two weeks after Raimondo unveiled a revised version of the plan. He says it has enough votes.
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Democratic Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed said this week that she expects senators to approve the bill.
