GRAHAM RIGHT ABOUT THE PIKE

“...Thou couldesr have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: ...” (from John 19:11)

Today was SUPPOSED to be a day of great protest against the proposed toll increases on the Massachusetts Turnpike. (In November, the Massachusetts Turnpike Board voted to increase tolls. The tolls at Weston and Allston would increase by 75 cents and the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnel rates would be boosted from $3.50 to $7.00. Public hearings about the toll increases have been taking place, and in fact a public hearing is scheduled for Framingham’s Memorial Building Wednesday evening at 6:30.) A grass roots organization called Stop the Pike Hike had originally scheduled the “Boston TOLL Party” for today. The original plan was that on “Boston TOLL Party” day as many commuters as possible would NOT use the MassPike but rather take alternate routes. In fact, some estimate that as many as 25% of MassPike commuters WILL opt for alternate routes once the toll hikes are implemented, and this increase in traffic on the alternate routes may cause major congestion and gridlock.

On Sunday, the Mayor of Boston and Boston Police Commissioner had a meeting with the leaders of Stop the Pike Hike, pretty much insisting that they NOT have their “Boston TOLL Party” in the interest of public safety and that IF the “Boston TOLL Party” went off as scheduled and IF there was some public safety disaster, THEY (the leaders of Stop the Pike Hike) would be PERSONALLY held responsible. The leaders of Stop the Pike Hike then called off their original plan and instead urged MassPike commuters to NOT use transponders today, AND to pay with pennies as a protest.

WTTK radio’s Michael Graham was VERY disappointed that the Stop the Pike Hike leadership backed down from their original plan. Michael took Route 9 to the radio station today but saw few join him in staying off the Pike. (It’s NOT illegal to choose to take Route 9 or some other roadway rather than the MassPike. I think the Mayor and Police Commissioner were WAY off in making a big deal about that!)

I have mixed emotions about the MassPike being a toll road. Many argue that the MassPike is no better or worse than any other road and that paying tolls for the Pike is ridiculous. I actually agree with commentator Emily Rooney of WGBH’s “Greater Boston” who argues that the MassPike IS a much better roadway than the other superhighways of Massachusetts. It really is. It’s just SO well maintained, and they do a FABULOUS job with snow removal, etc. I don’t see a big deal about the Pike being a toll road, BUT... Are the tolls too high? In my humble opinion, YES! I’d reduce all of them by around 50%. Do MetroWest commuters pay an unfair burden by having to pay these tolls? Although the western suburbs EASILY have the best commute into Boston, I think it can be argued that yes they do. Are the toll hikes too much? Absolutely. Do toll collectors make too much money? I think they do, but that’s peanuts compared to what a lot of the “political hacks” in Massachusetts make.

Bottom line, I don’t think Michael Graham and I agree 100% about the Pike and whether it should be a toll road, but we DO agree that the hikes are too much, and at the WRONG time! I am so BLESSED that I do not regularly commute into Boston. Typically I only use the MassPike a few times a month. I will say that IF I regularly commuted on the MassPike I’d try to stay off of it at least for the next few weeks to make some kind of protest. I DO think not using the Pike would have a lot more impact than paying the tolls in pennies will.

I am going to try to avoid the Pike for a few weeks, BUT I admit a dilemma I have is that I really don’t know how to get to Logan Airport without using one of the tunnels. I’ve got relatives coming into Boston for Christmas that I’ll have to drive to and from the airport so I kind of think I’ll have to use the Pike and tunnels for that.... :-( sorry!

Anyway, I agree with Michael Graham....try to stay OFF that Pike as much as possible for the next few weeks!