toll increase in NH

[carole]

For those who need to plan accordingly

Reminds me of the bumper sticker: "Welcome to New Hampshire. Now go home."

 

[TDawg]

Or, "Don't Mass up New Hampshire."

I guess I don't have too much of a problem with this. I only go through the Hooksett and Bedford tolls every now and then, whats an extra quarter in the grand scheme of things?

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Route 125 toll bypass

I haven't been through the Hampton tolls in years.

If you're coming up from the Boston area, try this. From I-495 take exit 51 in Haverhill onto route 125 north. This takes you up through Plaistow, NH all the way to Gonic where you can pick up route 16 just above the last toll.

It's slower than I-95 of course, but it's a straight shot and the time works out about the same (from Boston anyway).

 

[rocket21]

I wish they'd just double the toll on the northbound sides and eliminate the southbound tolls. Such a waste of time and labor to have tolls collected in each direction.

 

[MichaelJ]

They tried that experiment on I-95 in Hampton a few years back, just for the summer, and for reasons I don't fully remember they decided not to keep it that way.

 

[NewHampshire]

Hooooray! I was just thinking the other day "gee, I pay way to little in toll money, I think I should pay more!" YAY!!!!!!!!!



Brian

 

[WSC]

Thanks for keeping my taxes Low! Please stop by one of the Big Red Barns and get some booze as well, I don't want an income tax.
Thanks!
WSC

 

[rocket21]

They tried that experiment on I-95 in Hampton a few years back, just for the summer, and for reasons I don't fully remember they decided not to keep it that way.

They were considering it on the Mackinac Bridge near where I lived in Michigan, but didn't want to do it because it would result in loss of toll taker jobs.

 

[LarryD]

From what I understand, they abandoned the one-way toll system beause it led to an increase in traffic on adjacent roads, from people trying to avoid the toll. I go through the Hamton/Dover/Rochester tolls virtually every weekend, and it is pretty clear to me that the adoption of the EZPass has greatly reduced tollbooth backup. I almost never have any appreciable delay at the tolls.

 

[SkierSteve]

If you're not using an EZ Pass, get one. It costs $25 but, the Hookset toll is $.53 instead of $.75, not to mention being incredibly convienient. Also allows you to look incredibly smug as you cruise past those wiating in the cash lines.

 

[MichaelJ]

Just watch out for the non-paying-attention dingbats driving *perpendicular* to the roadway trying to find the right booth. @#%$!

 

[chomp]

The tolls are going up not because New Hampshire is being fiscally irresponsible, but because road contrustion costs have increades 45% in the last 5 years. All of the 10 year estimates for road projects in the state have been blow up, there there is a one BILLION dollar gap between money available and projects that are planned. FYI - one of these projects is the North Conway by-pass.

So, NH was faced with either cutting projects or increasing taxes/tolls. In the end, they chose to do both. The only really unfair toll, IMO, is the one on I-95. Nothing like getting whacked $1.50 to drive 17 miles of highway. But then again, those ppl from Maine are used to getting overtaxed, so they dont complain much.

 

[marchowes]

Well, after the toll increase it'll be 70 cents instead! Hey its still less than the old 75 cents which is okay if you've got your ez pass "paid off".

Those wishing to dodge the Bedford tolls will have a REALLY EASY way come 2010: http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/3083

The current design has no tolls on the exit ramps.. I have no idea why (makes sense southbound but northbound??) You could just get off the ramp, loop around and get back on. Is 3 minutes of time worth saving the 1$? For some people I'm guessing yes especially if they only pass through once a week or less.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

The only really unfair toll, IMO, is the one on I-95.

Ask people who live in Merrimack about toll fairness. No, I live in Bedford, but I hear it first hand.

Tim

 

[sapblatt]

The tolls in NH have not gone up since 1989 - I would have to check carefully, but I am pretty sure the cost of living, wages, commodities and construction have all gone up significantly since 1989. I will gladly pay to get to the Whites. EZ Pass is the way to go, the shortcuts probably cost more in gas than in toll saved!

 

[SteveHiker]

The tolls in NH have not gone up since 1989 - I would have to check carefully, but I am pretty sure the cost of living, wages, commodities and construction have all gone up significantly since 1989. I will gladly pay to get to the Whites. EZ Pass is the way to go, the shortcuts probably cost more in gas than in toll saved!

not entirely true. There used to be tokens. Tokens gave a 50% discount. Now there's EZ-Pass, which only has a 30% discount. I still like having EZ-Pass, but since it was supposed to save the state money, why am I paying more? What happened to the savings?

I guess I don't have too much of a problem with this. I only go through the Hooksett and Bedford tolls every now and then, whats an extra quarter in the grand scheme of things?

if you only go thru once in awhile, sure. But go thru twice a day (once each way) every workday (~250 days a year). Now is not an extra quarter, but an extra $125 a year.

 

[BobC]

I haven't been through the Hampton tolls in years.

If you're coming up from the Boston area, try this. From I-495 take exit 51 in Haverhill onto route 125 north. This takes you up through Plaistow, NH all the way to Gonic where you can pick up route 16 just above the last toll.

It's slower than I-95 of course, but it's a straight shot and the time works out about the same (from Boston anyway).

Be warned, this will not be a good route for a while. I live in Plaistow and they're doing a lot of construction work on 125 just north of the state line.

In any case, I never take 125 to go up north even though I live about 1 mile from 125, I just go 495 to I-95. There are just too many lights on 125 and in my experience it ends up taking longer than 95. I'll pay a buck to save 10 minutes or so on an already-long ride.

I'm not trying to just be a contrarian here...just offering up my 2 cents as a 15-year Plaistow resident.

 

[Zimmer]

The tolls are going up not because New Hampshire is being fiscally irresponsible, but because road contrustion costs have increades 45% in the last 5 years.

Thanks, Chomp.

The only really unfair toll, IMO, is the one on I-95. Nothing like getting whacked $1.50 to drive 17 miles of highway. But then again, those ppl from Maine are used to getting overtaxed, so they dont complain much.

I don't find ANYTHING in NH unfair after driving through itty bitty Delaware the short way. Southbound It costs $3 for the Delaware Mem. Bridge, and another $3 for the "Delaware Turnpike" -- a whopping ten miles or so of I-95.

 

[Zimmer]

There are just too many lights on 125 and in my experience it ends up taking longer than 95. I'll pay a buck to save 10 minutes or so on an already-long ride.

Definitely sounds like the gas is more expensive than the toll savings.

 

[MichaelJ]

Now there's EZ-Pass, which only has a 30% discount. I still like having EZ-Pass, but since it was supposed to save the state money, why am I paying more? What happened to the savings?

I can't answer that exact question, but I do want to point out that the 30% discount only applies to EZ-Pass accounts issued through the State of New Hampshire. Anyone going through with a transponder from MA, NY, ME, etc. will pay full fare. This is a significant change from the old days, when anyone could use tokens, and should have resulted in considerable additional revenue.