Gray Traffic Issues get TV time
WCSH 6 Editorial Director mentions Gray Bypass
By Fred Nutter, Editorial Director

"Ahead of schedule" and "under budget" are the key words from the Maine Turnpike Authority.

The MTA will complete the widening of the Southern end of the toll road this year. And what a terrific job the construction crews have done.

Above, a typical commuter time in Gray Village. Five State routes converge upon a small intersection not designed to handle today's thousands of commuters. DOT has labeled the intersection "Level F: Failed." The Monument: Prata photo (file)

We have urged the MTA to extend the widening from South Portland, North. Before that can take place major bridges must be replaced and the exit at Gray needs to be redesigned with a by-pass to route 26. All of which will take money.

The Turnpike Authority has proposed a 22 percent rate increase in tolls to pay for needed expansion and improvements. They have yet to announce details.

Your highway taxes do not pay for the improvements. Tolls pay for the money borrowed to pay for the improvements. Tolls are a direct user fee.
And that's how it should be.

The fact is 90 percent of the goods and products coming into or going out of Maine travel over the turnpike. The time to extend the widening is now, before old bridges crumble anymore, before grid-lock strangles our lifeline to the rest of the nation.

And the way to pay for it is a reasonable increase in tolls.

Reprinted with permission. WCSH 6 editorials can be read at wcsh6.com, click on 'Editorials.'