We oppose the Maine Turnpike Authority’s plan to spend between $35 to $56 million to relocate the York Toll Plaza

• Their plan is a costly long term solution to a short term problem that imposes lasting severe economic, environmental, and cultural impacts on our land, farms, homes, historic sites, wetlands, rivers and property values
• It is based upon a flawed business model and outdated data and is contrary to current thinking toward contemporary All Electronic Toll collection technologies.

We oppose any plans by the Maine Turnpike Authority to expand the York Toll Plaza beyond its current footprint

There is no justification to spend tens of millions of dollars on a new plaza:

• There are no capacity issues. Traffic is actually moving quicker thru the York Tolls with the increased use of EZ-Pass;
• There are no safety issues. Studies since 2003 have shown that there have been no fatalities, critical or serious injury accidents;
• Open Road Tolling as proposed by the MTA will not eliminate accidents. There will still be barriers in the road which cause accidents;
• In the proposed Open Road Tolling, cars will be diverging and merging at highway speeds (estimated at 65 mph) with the possibility of serious injury accidents;
• All Electronic Tolling will make the proposed multi-million dollar project obsolete in ten years and eliminate any barriers in the Highway;
• With the traffic off 8% since 2007 and expected growth of 1% per year, it will be years before the traffic returns to 2007 levels.
  
  

Accordingly, we want the MTA to:

• Abandon their proposed plan to spend tens of millions of dollars to relocate the existing plaza;
• Take the time necessary to study and plan for All Electronic Tolling and eliminate all accidents;
• Be fiscally responsible given the current state woes and national economic climate.