Updated 2/20/02
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In 1998, Star-Ledger columnist John McLaughlin taught me a valuable lesson about the power of the press. Our problem started in 1995 when NJ gave us HOV lanes and said it was good. But we who needed this road said "nay, congestion, pollution, aggravation, and especially accidents are now worse - this is a bad joke". We formed a group, created a web site, and cast letters of logic and reason. New Jersey insisted that HOV lanes worked. We disagreed. Then they said that we would have to return hundreds of millions in funding (...which everyone would have to pay), but added "we'd like to get rid of HOV lanes" as some kind of consolation. It appeared that Rt. 80 driver just weren't a large enough voting block to matter.
So, why aren't there HOV lanes on Rt. 80 & 287 today? Because of John McLaughlin. The HOV lanes were always a joke, but John make them a front page joke, and apparently our elected officials don't like being a front page joke. You should have seen the rats jump ship. Even Christie herself was shown on the front page taking down the HOV signs. And what happened to that $200+ million we supposedly had to pay back? It was never heard from again.
Sound familiar?
This is our fight against tolls today. The minority who need the Parkway pay our share of taxes for roads, but get none of it back, and must pay an additional aggravating, inefficient, and polluting tax - tolls. We formed a group, we created a web site, we cast our letters of logic and reason, but so far all we have gotten from our leaders are more tolls and a heart-felt: "We'd like to get rid of the tolls too".
Where have you gone, John McLaughlin?
Regular Parkway commuters are not a large group, especially when New Jersey actively pits non-Parkway users against us with the "everyone would have to pay even if they don't use the Parkway" scare tactics. We need a voice. We need someone to help us teach (or de-program) people. We need someone to find the answers they don't want to tell us. We need a John McLaughlin.
Questions we need answers for
Is there anyone that can help find these answers?
What exactly was promised in the 50's? Were tolls supposed to be removed when the road was paid for? I hear all the time from people who were around back then saying they were promised tolls would come down, yet the Highway Authority denies that was ever the case. Could the politicians back then have said that (i.e. lied)? Or are the people from the 50's lying?
During the 2001 campaign, Schluter's web site said the people voted on the Parkway issue in the 50's. What exactly did they vote for?
Is it possible that New Jersey could gain federal funding if the tolls were removed (...or has anyone even tried)? Toll supporters say no, but I've heard that Connecticut got additional funding after they remove tolls.
Why are State Police on the Parkway payroll? I thought our taxes pay for police, in which case Parkway drivers are getting doubly taxed for that too. It's almost like we aren't even considered NJ citizens when driving on toll-roads. (...Or maybe we should call them Parkway Police).
The NJHA often says that 20-25% of the toll revenue comes from out of state drivers. I was wondering if this was 1) correct, and 2) if the Parkway was any different from the average toll-free roads. Whenever I use the Parkway, it seems like a lot more than 80% are NJ plates. Besides, if 1/4 of the toll revenue comes from out of state motorists, then why not just charge 4 times the amount at the state line and remove all the tolls in the middle?
As I think of more questions, I'll add them.
