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Mass. transportation secretary floats idea of tolls at border with New Hampshire

Official says ideas being considered to raise funds

Mass. transportation secretary floats idea of tolls at border with New Hampshire

Official says ideas being considered to raise funds

DRIVERS WE SPOKE WITH TONIGHT SAY THEY ALREADY FEEL LIKE THEY PAY ENOUGH TOLLS.. AND ARE HOPING THIS IS ALL JUST TALK.. <I DONT THINK I'D BE IN FAVOR OF THAT> <YEAH, I DONT SUPPORT THAT AT ALL> SO FAR ITS áJUST AN IDEA... BUT FOR áSOME DRIVERS .. THE THOUGHT OF PAYING FOR A TOLL TO GET INTO MASSACHUSETTS ON THE HIGHWAY IS ENOUGH TO STIR UP áSOME STRONG FEELINGS.. <I HAVE FAMILY DOWN THERE I GO LIKE 4 5 TIMES A WEEK. THAT'S RIDICULOUS.> THE MASS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAYS RIGHT NOW.. THEY NEED MONEY. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, A NEW DOT TASK FORCE IS EXPLORING áALL OPTIONS TO BOOST THEIR BUDGET.. LIKE PUTTING TOLLS AT THEIR SHARED BORDERS WITH NEIGHBORING STATES... INCLUDING NEW HAMPSHIRE. <"AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT TOLLING, I'M TALKING TOLLING AT THE BORDERS."> THEY SAY NOTHING'S BEEN DECIDED YET... THAT THE TASK FORCE IS IN ITS EARLY STAGES OF áPOTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS. SOME áREGULAR COMMUTERS SAY THE EXTRA PAYMENT ISN'T IDEAL.. <EVERYDAY. TO BRING MY HUSBAND TO DD, HE WORKS OVER THERE. ITS GONNA BE HARD FOR US EVERYDAY PAYING TOLLS, TOLLS, TOLLS. > <IM A MASS RESIDENT BUT I SPEND ALOT OF TIME IN NH SO EVERYIME I WANNA COME HERE AND GO HOME. ITS TOO MUCH. > MASSDOT SAYS IT WILL WORK WITH LAWMAKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DECIDE THE áBEST WAY TO EARN THE MONEY THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS... WITH áTHOUSANDS OF DRIVERS POSSIBLY FEELING THE EFFECTS.. <ITS GOING TO BE HARD FOR EVERYBODY. WE HAVE PPL LIVING IN NH WORKING IN MA, PEOPLE WORKING IN MA LIVING IN NH> <FOR US ITS GOING TO BE A LITTLE HARD.> AND GOVERNOR SUNUNU SHARED áHIS THOUGHTS WITH US TONIGHT ABOUT THIS. HE SAYS THE IDEA OF TOLLS AT THE STATE LINE IS JUST ANOTHER WAY FO
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Mass. transportation secretary floats idea of tolls at border with New Hampshire

Official says ideas being considered to raise funds

New Hampshire drivers could someday pay more to get into Massachusetts after the Bay State's transportation secretary said tolls at the border could be a possibility.The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a task force working to find more funding options is in its early stages, but it's looking into the idea of putting in tolls at the border.Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said the task force was created to look at new funding initiatives for transportation in Massachusetts.At an event Wednesday, the transportation secretary said the task force is exploring the idea of charging transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft more when going through the tolls and even charging more for package deliveries.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<She made it clear that the task force isn't worried about creating more tolls within the state but just at its borders.“When I’m talking about tolling, I’m talking tolling at the borders,” said Tibbits-Nutt.If implemented, it could affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3 from New Hampshire into Massachusetts."It's going to be hard for everybody. We have people living in New Hampshire and working in Massachusetts," said Maria Salva.Some New Hampshire drivers said they are concerned about the financial impact of building more tolls at the borders."I don't think I'd be in favor of that," said New Hampshire driver Jonathan Farhadian. "I think that, as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, we already go through tolls anyway going through the bridge."“I have family down there. That’s ridiculous,” said New Hampshire driver Michael Patterson.

New Hampshire drivers could someday pay more to get into Massachusetts after the Bay State's transportation secretary said tolls at the border could be a possibility.

The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a task force working to find more funding options is in its early stages, but it's looking into the idea of putting in tolls at the border.

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Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said the task force was created to look at new funding initiatives for transportation in Massachusetts.

At an event Wednesday, the transportation secretary said the task force is exploring the idea of charging transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft more when going through the tolls and even charging more for package deliveries.

>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<

She made it clear that the task force isn't worried about creating more tolls within the state but just at its borders.

“When I’m talking about tolling, I’m talking tolling at the borders,” said Tibbits-Nutt.

If implemented, it could affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3 from New Hampshire into Massachusetts.

"It's going to be hard for everybody. We have people living in New Hampshire and working in Massachusetts," said Maria Salva.

Some New Hampshire drivers said they are concerned about the financial impact of building more tolls at the borders.

"I don't think I'd be in favor of that," said New Hampshire driver Jonathan Farhadian. "I think that, as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, we already go through tolls anyway going through the bridge."

“I have family down there. That’s ridiculous,” said New Hampshire driver Michael Patterson.