Pike Votes To Eliminate Tolls West of 128

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has given preliminary approval to a plan to eliminate the tolls on the Mass Pike West of Route 128 starting next year.

A final vote will be taken next month after a legal and financial review.

Because about one third of the toll revenues collected go toward maintaining the tolls, the Romney Administration says eliminating 400 toll collectors and shifting responsibilities to the state highway department should make up for most of the lost toll revenues.

Authority officials say another part of their plan calls for eliminating eastbound pike tolls, except for those at the airport tunnels, later next year. But they say that unlike the western pike toll plan, that idea would require legislative approval.

The state promised to eliminate tolls when bonds to finance construction were paid off. Those bonds were paid off back in 1983.