Gov. Ned Lamont to roll out 14bridge toll plan Thursday

The 10year, $21 billion tolling and transportation infrastructure plan that Gov. Ned Lamont has spent most of the year proposing and refining, includes tolls on a variety of bridges in the western half of the state, including the Rochambeau span over the Housa

tonic River on Interstate 84 in Newtown and the I95 bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport.

While he’s been rolling it out in recent days to lawmakers at the state Capitol, the governor has left local officials underinformed.

Newtown First Selectman Daniel Rosenthal on Wednesday said he had not yet

been briefed on the latest iteration of Lamont’s transportationinfrastructure plan, but said in an interview Wednesday that he’s generally opposed to tolling because of its potential effect on local traffic from tolldodging motorists.

“At first blush, it’s a horrible idea,” said Rosenthal, a Democrat who was reelected Tuesday with no opposition. “This whole toll thing is convoluted. I just have a hard time with having a

whole lot of faith in the execution, frankly. Hearing about this in bits and pieces is unhelpful.”

The 14 bridges include spans along Route 8 south of I84 over the Naugatuck River. Another bridge toll would be located along the Merritt Parkway in Norwalk near the Route 7 intersection. Another would be located in Greenwich along I384. Revenue generated by tolls at the sites would be used to help improve the bridges.

Another toll would be in Stamford around where the MetroNorth Commuter Railroad runs under I95. Toll costs would range between 50 cents and a dollar with discounts of 20 percent for those with EZPass transponders. Trucks would pay up to $7 in the newest version of the tolling plan that Lamont tried — and failed — to persuade lawmakers to accept this year.

Another bridge toll would be in West Haven along I95.

Requests for comment made to West Haven Mayor

Nancy R. Rossi, Stamford Mayor David Martin and Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, all Democrats, were not immediately returned on Wednesday. Westport First Selectman Jim Marpee said he has had no contact with Lamont. “I’m not in a position to comment,” he said .

But state Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, DWestport, a member of the Transportation Committee, said after a twohour briefing in the Capitol that the tolls are part of a comprehensive transportation initiation, with multiple funding sources including the federal government that will generate the kind of revenue needed to fix the centuryold Saugatuck River railroad bridge in his hometown.

“I just saw the presentation,” Steinberg said. “It’s really well thought through and I am going to support it.” He said the planned overhead toll gantries would be on the Norwalk side of the border.

“Tolls are a component of a muchbroader plan to generate revenue that has to

be done,” Steinberg said. “It’s a very limited thing. I have been consistently in favor of tolls because of the urgency of addressing the transportation crisis, and I’m encouraged that this is the solution we’ve been waiting for. It’s a plan worthy of real consideration and scrutiny and it purports to solve our urgent transportation needs, while creating jobs.

The 14 bridges include

spans along Route 8 south of I84 over the Naugatuck River. Another bridge toll would be located along the Merritt Parkway in Norwalk near the Route 7 intersection. Another would be located in Greenwich along I384. Revenue generated by tolls at the sites would be used to help improve the bridges.

Another bridge toll would be in West Haven along I95.

Hearst Conn. Media file photo The Interstate 95 bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport.

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo Traffic passes over the I84 eastbound bridge crossing the Housatonic River in Newtown.