Traffic would worsen with bridge toll

The proposal to charge tolls for the bridge on I-79 at the Bridgeville exchanges is ill-advised and shortsighted ( May 2, “Bridge Tolls Still Focus of Funding Talks”).

Fifteen years ago, Route 50, Washington Pike, Alpine Road, Thoms Run and the other surface streets were barely able to accommodate local traffic around Bridgeville and South Fayette Township.

Over the past decade and a half, the traffic has gotten heavier, especially around the I79 exchanges for Bridgeville, and the roads haven’t gotten any wider. Imagine sitting for three or four traffic- light changes just to get through the Route 50/Washington Pike intersection. Add ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and other emergency vehicles, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Now imagine what will happen when traffic using I-79 gets off at Bridgeville to avoid the toll.

For the people who live and work here, the inconvenience will be unprecedented, and the expense will be astronomical. Their choices will be (1) crowding onto Route 19, (2) using surface streets that are usually under repair (as I write this, Thoms Run is closed), or (3) pay a toll to cross a bridge.

Other than the people who will design and build the toll “booth” — and people who will spend the toll money — I cannot imagine anyone being in favor of such a project.

People living and working in Allegheny County already face some of the highest taxes on gasoline in the country. When do you say “Enough is enough” and start making better use of the funding you have? EDWARD A. MAROTTA

South Fayette