Will Connecticut Examine Tolls for All Cars or Tractor-Trailers Only?

Will Governor-elect Ned Lamont go back on his campaign pledge of only electronic tolling tractor-trailer trucks?

The Connecticut Mirror has reported that Lamont's transition team is strongly suggesting that he go back on that campaign pledge and to think seriously about tolling all vehicles. Rhode Island currently has a trucks-only tolling law in effect and that law is being challenged in court by the trucking industry.

Melissa Kaplan-Macey, Connecticut's director for the Regional Planning Association told the Connecticut Mirror that to guarantee the resources to maintain existing highways, bridges, and other infrastructure, more funds need to be considered such as tolling all vehicles and maybe even a higher gasoline tax.

I understand that for Connecticut drivers who frequently travel the state's superhighways having to pay road tolls could become a financial burden. Is it fair that out-of-state motorists are pretty much getting a free ride through our state?

Fact: Connecticut is drowning in debt and adding road tolls for all vehicles sure would help to chisel down some of that debt. Only 15 states currently do not have any toll roads and in my personal opinion, Connecticut cannot afford to be one of those 15 states. The Connecticut DOT estimates electronic tolling on all vehicles could raise as much as $1 billion annually.