add to the gas tax or inspection fees, but please don't penalize us for living on the island

also we never leave the island as it is - now towns like Tiverton, Bristol, Jamestown can forget to see folks from Newport spend any money in their communities.

The bridge authority needs to keep the money it earns and put it back into the bridges for maintenance, etc. and not rely on the State for funding. The current model has worked, these bridges are in great shape. This maintenance is what is needed to keep our bridges up. Unlike state funds that were supposed to be used to keep the escape bridge maintained in the Hummocks, this never happened and it is now closed. A major safety concern for those in that area should a major weather system develop.

Mr. Gordon, nobody cares about you or what you have to say.

Privatize RIPTA and put the gas tax back where it was intended to be . The Tax and Spend Liberals have really screwed this state up.

Joe - "Privatize RIPTA and put the gas tax back" ?? Not sure how this relates to the bridge toll. Anyway, if RIPTA went private there is no way the current routes and schedules would remain a fluent as they are today. Putting gas tax back in the general pot to fund funds in reserve is how the process works so this is a matter of the effect of the cause.

The Gas tax was created to fund road repairs . The legislature changed that. That is why our bridges are falling down. End the free rides and fix the roads. The Mount Hope should be given back to DOT for repairs and maintenance. Keep the Toll on the Newport till it is paid for then turn it over to DOT.

No, no, no, - the bridge authority is a quasi-private/gov't organization. The money they make, they keep and this is used to fund the repairs, etc. The DOT has done a terrible job keeping up the roads, bridges, etc. and the way the funds are routed about the funds never make it to the roads, bridges, etc. This needs to change but until then, lets keep our bridges maintained so that we can travel freely about the State.

How about taxing, or charging a toll, to the vessels that go UNDER the bridge?

They should impose a toll, as previously mentioned, on Rt. 95 at the CT?/ RI border. If you travel down Rt.95 you have to pay a toll when entering NY and you haven't even gone over a bridge yet! Also traveling down the NJ turnpike is not a cheap thing to do either! Also head north and there are tolls at the NH border and Mee borders. They do this so EVERYBODY has to pay, not just a bunch of locals who call Aquickneck Island there home!

I think most of the money raised by tolls pays for the big inflated pensions the past RI Turnpike & Bridge Authority directors etc.

do it the easy way, just make folks with easy passes pay, don't even tell them! just put the camera,s up at all the bridges but disguise them, or at every stop light, we can get a load of money fast that way and also commit highway robbery, one mile corner easy pass, 2 mile of course, raytheon, thats a money maker, lets get the guy doing the duck bill in on this

Can someone clarify the potential options for me? I have read/heard several different scenarios regarding the three bridges that serve our island. First option was raising the toll on the newport bridge and also putting a toll on the Mount Hope bridge. The second was not to raise the toll on the newport bridge, but put a toll on the new Sakonnet bridge. Also, can all three bridges be tolled? I thought that there had to be a free way on and off the island?

I would like a question answered in regards to tolls on the 3 (three) bridges. I have read and been led to believe that there had to be one FREE way off and on the island. Is this true or not? If true, how can they put tolls on all 3 bridges? The talk was a $5.00 toll on Sakonnet River Bridge. How can they put that much on it? It isn't that long a bridge. Tapan Zee in NY is certainly longer and only either $4 or $5. Yes, you only have to pay one way but you still have to pay if going east on the bridge. Lake Ponchitrain (spelling) in Louisiana is approximately 23 miles long and only $5! Come on RI what's going on? Aren't we "taxed" enough? Wouldn't be so bad if the tax money was put where it's suppose to go as stated when talked about but never seems to be used for what is originally stated.

I've also heard that they can't 'toll an island in' so to speak but I'm never seen what that's based on.

Maybe 3 months ago there was a projo article that said the DOT wants to sell the Sakonnet to RIBTA (they'd issue bonds to pay the DOT) and with the proceeds the DOT will fix the 600+ other bridges in the state that most of us never use.

Projo's archives aren't free anymore so I can't pull that up but I remember it clearly.

In order to put a toll back on the Mt Hope the GA would have to authorize it so the local reps can stop at least that.

Funny there are two bridges leading to Cape Cod and neither has a toll.

The state doesn't spend squat in the East Bay and they want us to pay for the bridges in the rest of the state now.

George Washington, Bayonne & Goethals bridges in NY have a toll of $12.00 cash @$7.50 to $9.50 using ez pass newport is less then a dollar if you use ez pass. Yes they can toll all three bridges if you want a free way on or off the islan buy a boat. People who live on block island, Prudence island or Hog island have to pay a ferry every time the want to leave the island and only when the ferry is running. You want to live on an island thats part of life.

the washington bridge

The Providence to East Providence bridge on 195 was just rebuilt. Same situation as the Sakonnet bridge. Lots of traffic and a great source of revenue. If you choose to commute over that bridge, then shouldn't a toll be paid just as people that choose to live on Aquidneck Island are being asked to pay.It is exactly the same situation. If enough bridges are tolled, then the cost will be minimal and ALL users will pay. Fees and tolls are a bad idea for existing bridges. Are they going to toll the escape bridge in Portsmouth? It fell apart and needs to be rebuilt. Same as Sakonnet bridge. Raise toll on the Pell Bridge and leave the rest alone.

Love the photo of Dan in this article. Not sure what he is looking at but he should point forward for further effect.

Think about the money spent on projects in other parts of the state. The millions that have been poured into Quonset Point and the access roads. Taxpayers pay for the $48 million dollar bond that revamped the area, the QDC made a single payment a few years back.

Nearly $30 million for a new West Bay train station. Nearly a billion $$ for the new 'i-way'.

Central Falls gets $40 million a YEAR in state aid. That's more aid than Newport County and Bristol county get combined. Every 4 years we give Central Falls as much money as the new Sakonnet bridge will cost to build.

Where is their toll?

Never mind the obvious screwing we'll be getting paying to fix the other 600 bridges in the state - think about how the state screws this part of the state on a regular basis already.

DownTown, your wise beyond your years.

Dan, do us all a huge favor and resign. You are a do-nothing-irrelevant-ink hound. Spare us, your constituents, any more embarrassment and just go away.

I sent a letter to Dan Gordon and he has stated to me that he is against the toll and will be looking into the constitutionality of this toll since it seems to conflict with the uniformity clause of the constitution check out the letter i sent on my blog against this unfair toll here: http://tiverton.patch.com/blog_posts/stop-the-toll-on-the-sakonnet-river-bridge