Community Corner

Bragdon: Tolls 'Unfair' to Town of Merrimack

Says loss in revenue can be absorbed by Highway Fund surplus.

Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, testified on Tuesday in front of the Senate Ways and Means Committee in favor of removing the toll booths from the Merrimack on and off ramps.

Bragdon, who called for the elimination of the tolls as a means of fairness for the residents of Merrimack who've been paying to get in and out of town for more than 20 years, said the projected revenue losses quoted by the state's review of the bill could be absorbed by Highway Fund surplus.

According to a press release from Bragdon's office, he acknowledged SB3 could cost the Turnpike System $650,000 to $2.5 million in lost toll money but said the system could absorb this loss due to the fact it was able to transfer $120 million to the Highway Fund to help balance the state budget in 2010.

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“A state agency with $120 million in excess cash sitting around that can be used to bail out other agencies is collecting more than it needs and will certainly not miss $650,000 or even $2.5 million,” Bragdon said. “Regardless of the cost, this is the right thing to do.”

The proposal, if approved by New Hampshire's legislative bodies, would remove the 50-cent tolls on Exits 10, 11, and 12 on the F.E. Everett Turnpike within 60 days after the bill's passage.

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First, it needs to be pushed forward by the Ways and Means Committee who heard the bill on Tuesday.

Calling the current system “unfair to the town and the people of Merrimack,” Bragdon recommended the elimination of the six toll booths in light of other recent construction projects, like the Manchester Airport Access Road and the Granite Street Exit in Manchester, have added non-tolled turnpike access to drivers.  

Raymond Wieczorek Drive, the airport access road, cannot be fitted with tolls because the state used federal money to construct the road that connects Merrimack to Manchester and Litchfield without having to travel Interstate 293.

Bragdon used examples to show the inequality of Merrimack drivers having to take back roads to get where they are going or pay a toll to go just a few miles across town when drivers in other communities get to their destinations for free, according to the press release.

These examples included:

  • Nashua/Hudson/Towns – Nine miles; eight exits for free, all the way to Massachusetts
  • Manchester/Towns – six miles; four exits for free
  • Manchester/Nashua to the airport for free
  • Concord – three miles; three exits for free
  • Manchester/Litchfield – 20 miles, all the way to Massachusetts for free.

The bill, Senate Bill 3, is co-sponsored by Sen. Charles Morse, R-Salem, Reps. Dick Hinch, R-Merrimack, Dick Barry, R-Merrimack, Kathleen Stroud, R-Merrimack, Jeanine Notter, R-Merrimack and Brenda Grady, D-Merrimack.


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