Beacon Hill Democrats Looking to Add More Tolls to Boston-Area Highways

Beacon Hill Democrats Looking to Add More Tolls to Boston-Area Highways

BOSTON — One year after the lights went permanently dark inside the Bay State's remaining human-staffed tollbooths, giving way to the era of all-electronic tolling, a bill on Beacon Hill touted by a powerful Democrat from Lynn would expand tolling throughout Greater Boston, with high-traveled freeways like Route 128, Interstate 93, Interstate 95, and Route 2 transitioning into tollways.

State Senator Thomas McGee, the chairman of the Joint Transportation Committee, filed the bill, "An Act Establishing the Metropolitan Transportation Network," last January. His bill was heard by the committee on Tuesday. Testifying at the hearing against the bill was Citizens for Limited Taxation's spokesman Chip Faulkner.