did anyone ask Gov. Chafee why they didn't put a toll on the new bridge in Providence? Why do the bridges to Aquidneck Island have to pay for ALL the roads/bridges throughout the state?

seems many other states get Federal approval to toll an interstate (I travel often and pay in NY, NH, NJ, etc).

We shouldn't be asking for tolls anywhere . Our Reps. support for the toll on 95 lost us the support of the reps. in those towns when they voted for the toll on the Sakonnet . No tolls any where is the answer. Use the Gas tax and quite giving free rides on RIPTA.

With all due respect to the conversations, has anyone thought of where the maintenance funds will come from in outyears? There are so many bridges that have gone with little or no maintenance over many years because the revenue targeted for those projects were directed to other departments. Until we use restricted funds to fund construction and maintenance cost, this will be unresolved forever. Either you raise taxes or use tolls as a method of supporting the bridges so lets decide the most fair and equitable manner in which we pay for it. No one wants taxes, no one wants tolls but the bills keep rolling in!

Exactly George!

The State of RI will spend $8 billion dollars this year. We don't have a revenue problem . We have a spending problem. Take the money out of the bloated budgets we continue to increase

So true Joe. Normal people have to figure out ways to cut costs and do without. This state is all about just ripping extra dollars from people's pockets. Rich people make the greatest politicians as they just replace asking daddy for money with taking from people who actually work.

I think Mr Chafee needs to be remembered for "passing the buck" when you go to vote. Harry Truman had a small plaque on his desk in the oval office which stated "The Buck Stops Here"!
Artie Denman

I am curious how this will effect the real estate here? With places going out of buiness, people out of work, and vacant stores, where do we go from here? I did never believe Chaffee was going to be there for us. Remember him when we vote, along with Piava Weed. Where do we go from here?

Paiva Weed sold out the island for her few little perks from the State ($$$ for x-mas in Newport etc.) When Newport sees the decrease in dollsrs I hope they remember who voted for this... I will no longer patronize Newport for this betrayal of the rest of Newport County.

The state needs Two million per year to maintain the sakonnet. A 1cent increase in the gas tax would raise $5 million per year more then enough to fund maintence on the new bridge.

Mark, the Sakonnett River Bridge is small compared to the other bridges. Half of the by passes and exit and entrance ramps on the new I-95 are actually longer and of similar construction minus the several piers in the water...Another toll in Newport County is a sell out by Paiva Weed and I am positive will hurt Newport....

That is the great thing about this country we agree to disagree ..Paiva Weed is not a "good neighbor" to Newport County ....This WILL have an impact on Newport just like the rest of the county!

By putting a toll on the Sakonnett River Bridge, Little Compton & Tiverton really do become part of MA. This is their ONLY link to RI and you can not say this about any other part of the state, meaning people are “cut off” from the rest of their state & need to pay in order to stay within their state. Is there ANY other part of our county, let alone our state, like this? Also, no one has mentioned about the SAFETY of Common Fence Point & Island Park during “mandatory” evacuations. People here have this requirement for a category 1 HURRICANE! Actually for “Tropical Storm” Irene last year, a mandatory evacuation was put in place for these 2 areas!! I remember hearing when “they” (the powers to be) wanted to eliminate exit 3 onto Route 24. Luckily they can NOT because of this exit being an evacuation route. Where are all the lawyers on Aquidneck Island? Can no one find a “loop hole” like when they tried to eliminate exit 3? I’m all for maintence & up keep, but not at the expense of 1 county. According to the Interstate Highway System, Route 24 is part of the interstate infrastructure and is considered a “freeway”. Hence the word “FREE” – WAY!!

Did I misss something or did this just go away? I don't hear anything. All silence. What is going to happen next? I agree, can't we get a lawyer or something? Ya know our reps knew this and did nothing till we got them to "do something". So where do we stand now? What is the latest? Everyone is silent. Are we in mounring? Where do we go from here? What's up??????

How about finishing rt24 and make it a federal highway? If 24 were a straight shot to 95 in south county, what would that do to the economic value of Aquidneck Island and South County? Were our 1960's forefathers wrong? A simple look at a map, South County and Aquidneck Island economic measures, or even East and West Main casualties and fatalities might give a clue to an answer........of course, the first order of business would be to fix eminent domain laws; otherwise infrastructure will be placed for the good of the few to the detriment of the many (see Newport and new Sakonnett bridge placements).

Amid the back and forth, I may have missed anyone questioning why, in a state that has substantial fuel taxes and road use fees, there is a need for a "revenue stream" to deal with bridge maintenance.

As one critic put it, Aquidneck Island has, for some time, been viewed as a source of funds to support the failed administrations of cities like Providence and to fund overly generous social programs. So there is nothing left and the state now needs to suck more money out of the pockets of Island residents.

And how does our Governor react? He claims that he understands that people are angry, but his only proposal to date is the toll on the new Sakonnet bridge...after all he doesn't want to make hasty decisions inn anger that might have a negative impact on the economy. Congrats to all of you that voted for this fool. Trouble is, we now have to live with YOUR mistake.

It is my understanding that with the materails, used to consruct this new bridge it shouldn't need any or very little maintaince for the first 10 years of it's life, so if tolls go on next year as planned then,tolls making say 15 million a year means that 150 million dollars will be going into RIBTA with out the need to spend one penny on this new bridge. Vote the clowns that voted yes on the BUDGET out sure they vote no on the tolls, but if they had voted no on the budget, till the toll were removed we wouldn't be here, and at the least sent Brendon Doherty to congress and not the guy who left the capitol city in such great shape that upstate reps are trying to steal Newport county blind to pay for their doings!! NO TOLLS