R.I. Trucking Association asking Federal Highway Administration to scrutinize RhodeWorks

RHODE ISLAND Trucking Association President and CEO Christopher J. Maxwell said, “While we disagree with truck-only tolling and RhodeWorks, the vote of the legislature stands. But the real scrutiny over the plan’s viability begins now, and as we’ve stated all along, it faces many challenges in both the regulatory and legal arenas.” / PBN FILE PHOTO
RHODE ISLAND Trucking Association President and CEO Christopher J. Maxwell said, “While we disagree with truck-only tolling and RhodeWorks, the vote of the legislature stands. But the real scrutiny over the plan’s viability begins now, and as we’ve stated all along, it faces many challenges in both the regulatory and legal arenas.” / PBN FILE PHOTO

PAWTUCKET – The Rhode Island Trucking Association has asked the Federal Highway Administration to intervene in RhodeWorks, including through a federal environmental review of gantry and bridge locations and the resulting impacts.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation sent March 18, trucking association President and CEO Christopher J. Maxwell said the proposed bridge and overpass rebuilding program should require a National Environmental Policy Act review because it will use federal funds.
The NEPA review process is engaged whenever airports, buildings, highways and other federal activities are proposed, according to the Environmental Protection Agency website.
The trucking association president suggested the agency include 12 issues in its review. They include: consideration of toll and non-toll funding alternatives; the legal basis for establishing toll rates; a sensitivity analysis that would determine the impacts of various toll rates; the proposal’s impact on minority- and low-income populations and the effects of traffic diversion on congestion, noise, air and water quality and safety.
The association also wants the federal agency to confirm whether the network of proposed toll locations will be subject to approval before any individual location can be authorized.
The Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the RhodeWorks road and bridge redevelopment package in February. It will include tolls charged to commercial tractor-trailer trucks at 14 locations in the state.
“While we disagree with truck-only tolling and RhodeWorks, the vote of the legislature stands,” Maxwell wrote. “But the real scrutiny over the plan’s viability begins now, and as we’ve stated all along, it faces many challenges in both the regulatory and legal arenas.”

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Rhode Island is not the only state to propose truck tolls, in fact it is a latecomer to the game versus surrounding States. So why did this question of federal viability not impact the other states with tolls already in place????

  2. Obadiah,

    That is because the states who have highway tolls or Turnpikes or Parkways with tolls, toll all vehicles including cars and even motorcycles. Rhode Island wants to toll just certain types of trucks. Its like having all the Pizzeria’s in Rhode Island pay for all the parmesan cheese used in the state.