E-ZPass

[HellRaZoR004]

Merrimack is being held hostage by the tolls. This is where they are having a hard time with toll collectors.

And the leaders in the neighboring town to the south passed a law stating it was illegal to put up a toll in Nashua. Who would have thought?

I might also add that this is where people take the back roads (to avoid the tolls in Merrimack). I'm one of them.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by HellRaZoR004

Merrimack is being held hostage by the tolls. This is where they are having a hard time with toll collectors.

And the leaders in the neighboring town to the south passed a law stating it was illegal to put up a toll in Nashua. Who would have thought?

I might also add that this is where people take the back roads (to avoid the tolls in Merrimack). I'm one of them.

Having lived in Nashua and worked in Merrimack I can relate to what your saying. I thought the Bedford Rd toll was being shut down.
I used to take D W highway to and from work 90% of the time. It just makes sense and traffic wasn't that bad working 2nd shift, I was going against it.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by HellRaZoR004

Merrimack is being held hostage by the tolls. This is where they are having a hard time with toll collectors.

And the leaders in the neighboring town to the south passed a law stating it was illegal to put up a toll in Nashua. Who would have thought?

I might also add that this is where people take the back roads (to avoid the tolls in Merrimack). I'm one of them.

I respectfully disagree with this. No one forces the people in Merrimack to use the highway.
I live in Bow. If I want to take 93 south, I can choose to get on at Exit 11 and pay the toll. I can also choose to drive a few miles farther on route 3A and get on at Exit 10 where I don't have to pay a toll.

[BroadHopper]

All the years I have been commuting between the lakes Region and Nashua, I always take 3A through Bow to avoid the Hooksett tolls. Before EZPass i did not do that. After EZPass, it was getting expensive driving thru Bedford and Hooksett tolls twice a day. Sometimes I would drive 3A thru Litchfield to avoid the Bedford tolls. Driving thru Merrimac was a nightmare!

I found a number of folks commuting between Concord and Nashua following the same route.

I know of lake folks that use to drive to Concord to 393 to 106 to Gilford or 4 to 28 to Alton before EZPass. These same folks would get off the Hooksett toll to 28 to Alton. The Concord route via Rte 3A to Bow.

One nice feature is the Bow liquor store has access from 3A.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

All the years I have been commuting between the lakes Region and Nashua, I always take 3A through Bow to avoid the Hooksett tolls. Before EZPass i did not do that. After EZPass, it was getting expensive driving thru Bedford and Hooksett tolls twice a day. Sometimes I would drive 3A thru Litchfield to avoid the Bedford tolls. Driving thru Merrimac was a nightmare!

I found a number of folks commuting between Concord and Nashua following the same route.

I know of lake folks that use to drive to Concord to 393 to 106 to Gilford or 4 to 28 to Alton before EZPass. These same folks would get off the Hooksett toll to 28 to Alton. The Concord route via Rte 3A to Bow.

One nice feature is the Bow liquor store has access from 3A.

Anecdotal evidence is all well and good, but I'm not persuaded that toll revenue has gone down because more drivers are taking the back roads since EZPass became available in New Hampshire.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

With the price of gas and the extra time it takes to bypass a toll, I don't see taking back roads to avoid a dollar (less with an EZPass) as a solution to toll roads.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

All the years I have been commuting between the lakes Region and Nashua, I always take 3A through Bow to avoid the Hooksett tolls. Before EZPass i did not do that. After EZPass, it was getting expensive driving thru Bedford and Hooksett tolls twice a day. Sometimes I would drive 3A thru Litchfield to avoid the Bedford tolls. Driving thru Merrimac was a nightmare!

I found a number of folks commuting between Concord and Nashua following the same route.

I know of lake folks that use to drive to Concord to 393 to 106 to Gilford or 4 to 28 to Alton before EZPass. These same folks would get off the Hooksett toll to 28 to Alton. The Concord route via Rte 3A to Bow.

One nice feature is the Bow liquor store has access from 3A.

I am on Rt 3A in Bow daily, as I live nearby. I typically get off at Exit 10 which is around 4:30PM each day. The stop light in Hooksett Village can be miserable. It usually takes 20 mins to go the 8 miles up 3A (a 5 min drive on 93). Going north on 3A from my house sometimes takes 15 mins to get to Exit 12 in the afternoon, which is a 3 mile drive, thanks to the stop light by Grappones in Bow.

End to end (Exit 10 to Exit 12) on 3A can take 20-30 mins. I would not want to sit on that road to avoid paying a $1 toll and add 10-20 mins to the drive. I only take it because I have to.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by chipj29

I am on Rt 3A in Bow daily, as I live nearby. I typically get off at Exit 10 which is around 4:30PM each day. The stop light in Hooksett Village can be miserable. It usually takes 20 mins to go the 8 miles up 3A (a 5 min drive on 93). Going north on 3A from my house sometimes takes 15 mins to get to Exit 12 in the afternoon, which is a 3 mile drive, thanks to the stop light by Grappones in Bow.

End to end (Exit 10 to Exit 12) on 3A can take 20-30 mins. I would not want to sit on that road to avoid paying a $1 toll and add 10-20 mins to the drive. I only take it because I have to.

If people are taking the back roads to evade the tolls as BroadHopper claims, it doesn't seem like it's worth it. But, that's a personal choice. What I do know for sure is that since New Hampshire introduced EZPass in 2005, the toll revenue for the entire turnpike system has increased:

2005 - $65,956,309
2006 - $77,773,358
2007 - $82,318,730
2008 - $100,448,444
2009 - $104,672,894
2010 - $116,568,154
2011 - $116,749,990

[HellRaZoR004]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

If people are taking the back roads to evade the tolls as BroadHopper claims, it doesn't seem like it's worth it. But, that's a personal choice. What I do know for sure is that since New Hampshire introduced EZPass in 2005, the toll revenue for the entire turnpike system has increased:

2005 - $65,956,309
2006 - $77,773,358
2007 - $82,318,730
2008 - $100,448,444
2009 - $104,672,894
2010 - $116,568,154
2011 - $116,749,990

I'm not sure you can link EZPass to the increase in revenue. I do find it interesting that from 2010 to 2011 the increase was much smaller than in previous years.

[SIKSUKR]

Some of that revenue increase would be linked to increased fares.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by HellRaZoR004

I'm not sure you can link EZPass to the increase in revenue. I do find it interesting that from 2010 to 2011 the increase was much smaller than in previous years.

I think that EZPass is a part of the reason, but certainly not all of it. The numbers of vehicle transactions over the same time period don't show the same kind of growth as the toll revenue, so as SIKSUKR points out, some (maybe even most) of the revenue increase probably can be accounted for by higher tolls. I do think that EZPass has decreased the loss from toll cheats, now that cameras have been installed at the toll plazas.

[BroadHopper]

Do you have the revenues before 2005? By doing some math based on the discount differences between the coins and ez-pass you can make reasonable estimate of the gain or loss in revenues.

If one can find the ratio between ez-pass and non ez-pass as well as coin and non-coin commuters, I can give you an accurate number.

[NoBozo]

I wonder what percentage of the Take.. the E-ZPass Company gets in return for running the show. NB

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I wonder what percentage of the Take.. the E-ZPass Company gets in return for running the show. NB

Good question. BroadHopper mentioned that there was a WSJ article about this. Perhaps he can find it and provide a link. My Google-fu must have been weak on this one.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I wonder what percentage of the Take.. the E-ZPass Company gets in return for running the show. NB

So, it turns out that there is no "E-ZPass Company." Each state or toll agency administers their own program with their own employees. Toll revenue paid in New Hampshire stays in New Hampshire and belongs to the state. There is an "E-ZPass Group" that exists to coordinate issues between states and deals with matters such as interoperability. The E-ZPass Group has a whopping four staff people, and according to their website one of those positions is currently vacant.

It would be nice if BroadHopper could provide a link to the WSJ article that he mentioned in an earlier post that "investigates the enormous salaries of the company's directers [sic] and managers." Perhaps what the article was referring to was the Port Authority of NY and NJ or some other quasi-governmental body that has nothing to do with New Hampshire.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

So, it turns out that there is no "E-ZPass Company." Each state or toll agency administers their own program with their own employees. Toll revenue paid in New Hampshire stays in New Hampshire and belongs to the state. There is an "E-ZPass Group" that exists to coordinate issues between states and deals with matters such as interoperability. The E-ZPass Group has a whopping four staff people, and according to their website one of those positions is currently vacant.

It would be nice if BroadHopper could provide a link to the WSJ article that he mentioned in an earlier post that "investigates the enormous salaries of the company's directers [sic] and managers." Perhaps what the article was referring to was the Port Authority of NY and NJ or some other quasi-governmental body that has nothing to do with New Hampshire.

SOMEONE ..co-ordinates ALL the E-ZPass in the United States. The equipment is Standard. Somebody pays for it. It's NOT provided FREE. There is NO Free Lunch. NB

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

SOMEONE ..co-ordinates ALL the E-ZPass in the United States. The equipment is Standard. Somebody pays for it. It's NOT provided FREE. There is NO Free Lunch. NB

Of course the equipment is not free; I never said that it was. The states or toll agencies have to buy it (the transponders and the tolling equipment), and those costs get passed on to the user, just as the savings of a more efficient tolling system do. As I said, the E-ZPass Group coordinates interoperability.

The important point, following up on earlier posts, is that each system is managed by a local government or quasi-government agency; this function is not contracted out to a for-profit company that takes a percentage of the toll revenue.

[BroadHopper]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/18/ny...n-e-zpass.html

I found this article that confirms that an independent contractor use to run the E-ZPASS system. Now that each state have their own agencies, I guess the article I read is history. I did read that NY and NJ had problem with their E-ZPASS commissions. All states even NH has problems with commissioners. NH state liquor commission was under fire from time to time.

[SIKSUKR]

I read it that NJ ez-pass was contracted out and that was over 10 years ago.

[Winnisquamguy]

Big changes coming!!

CONCORD — Changes are coming to Interstate 93, including new full-service visitors' centers in Hooksett and high-speed tolling at the nearby toll plaza.

The Department of Transportation is ready to announce the winning bidder for two new, full-service welcome centers to replace the existing state liquor stores, visitors' centers and vending machines on the northbound and southbound sides of I-93 in Hooksett.

The Common Man's Alex Ray will lease the land for 35 years to construct single buildings on each side of the highway that will include state liquor stores, visitors' centers, 1950s-style dinners, Italian farmhouse restaurants, old-time delis, breakfast shops, convenience stores and 20 gas pumps.

The buildings will have a "New Hampshire mill building architectural style" according to the DOT. Construction is slated to begin in October. The northbound state liquor store is to be completed by November 2014, the southbound by March 2015.

The lease includes two five-year options at the state's discretion. The state will receive a minimum of $23.23 million over the 35 years of the lease and a portion of concession and gas sales that could bring the total to more than $39 million.

Maryland-based Host Internat'l and Chicago-based First Equity Group were the other bidders.

High-speed tolling

Just south of the service areas, transportation officials hope motorists will experience fewer delays going through the toll plaza when high-speed tolling opens later this month.

Gov. Maggie Hassan, Transportation Commissioner Christopher Clement and other notables are expected to be on hand at 11 a.m. May 22 for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting of the high-speed, E-ZPass toll lanes on Interstate 93 at the Hooksett toll booths.

The open-road tolling lanes will actually open early the following morning.

The $22.5 million project, which included upgrades to three bridges, is expected to improve the capacity of the highway five-fold and mean a faster trip for the nearly 70 percent of motorists who use E-Z Pass.

"Even though Hampton (open-road tolling) has been open for three years, this is going to be a new experience for people who drive the I-93 corridor. We think it will be well-received," said William Boynton, a state Transportation Department spokesman. "You save time, you save money. There's no lines, no slowdowns, no lane changes, no stopping." The Hooksett plaza will offer two high-speed lanes in each direction. Motorists without E-ZPass will pull off to pay a toll. There will be six toll booths on each side of the highway. Booth staffing will depend upon expected traffic volumes for the day.

People without E-ZPass who forget to pull off and pay a toll should go through the monitors. They will be traced through their plates and sent a bill for the toll and a $1 service charge, Boynton said.

Vote delayed

The welcome center projects are estimated to cost $32 million, with the Liquor Commission reimbursing the developer $8.4 million for the liquor stores. The developer is to design, build, finance, maintain and operate the service areas with the exception of the liquor stores.

The Joint Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee was to vote on the lease Tuesday, but declined because the DOT — with the advice of Associate Attorney General Richard Head — said the name of the winning bidder could not be announced while the state continues to negotiate. Head said the developer's lender was reviewing the lease and it is hoped it will be finalized this week.

Committee Chairman Rep. David Campbell, D-Nashua, said "with all due respect, the council would not vote on anything without knowing who is the party." If the planning committee approves the lease, the Executive Council will vote on it June 19.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...WS09/130519563

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by Winnisquamguy

Big changes coming!!

Boy wouldn't that be nice! Some revenue for the state, from a local business. Our snowmobile club (Bow Pioneers) used to have a trail that went to the SB liquor store. If this becomes a reality, we will have to pursue reopening that trail.

The open road tolling is good news as well, I think it will really help with the traffic at the tolls. I would also like to see 3 lanes going through Concord, but that won't be anytime soon.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by chipj29

The open road tolling is good news as well, I think it will really help with the traffic at the tolls. I would also like to see 3 lanes going through Concord, but that won't be anytime soon.

You're right; I'm afraid that open road tolling at Hooksett on busy north bound weekends will just mean that you get to the backup that much quicker that always develops where the highway reduces to two lanes at the I-89 junction.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

You're right; I'm afraid that open road tolling at Hooksett on busy north bound weekends will just mean that you get to the backup that much quicker that always develops where the highway reduces to two lanes at the I-89 junction.

Yup, that lane drop is horrendous. The widening is actually on the NH DOT 10-year plan.
BOW - CONCORD 13742 I-93 2011 Bridge Priority #43, #44, & #65. WIDEN FROM I-89 TO I-393 (Between Exits 15 & 16) TO MATCH INTO EXISTING CONCORD PROJECT 11449 @ EXIT 16, TO INCLUDE {Red List} BRIDGES 152/108, 150/107, 142/116 (PE Only) Red List Bridges
http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdev...on_1-13-12.pdf

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

You're right; I'm afraid that open road tolling at Hooksett on busy north bound weekends will just mean that you get to the backup that much quicker that always develops where the highway reduces to two lanes at the I-89 junction.

Beat me to it.Those Saturday summer morning backups should get longer south of Concord.Rt 3a is looking better.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Do you have the revenues before 2005? By doing some math based on the discount differences between the coins and ez-pass you can make reasonable estimate of the gain or loss in revenues.

If one can find the ratio between ez-pass and non ez-pass as well as coin and non-coin commuters, I can give you an accurate number.

2000 - $60,166,815
2001 - $61,536,675
2002 - $64,371,208
2003 - $64,367,301
2004 - $65,780,607

I was thinking of your post from last week when you said that "we have the same number of token takers, collecting less money as many people are taking the back roads..." Did you mean that the human toll collectors are collecting less money, or that the system as a whole is collecting less money?