Not used to east coast rv-ing. Out west, tollroads seem to be far and few between but have just about been tolled to death in Pennsylvania and New York. Total over $50 in tolls between Niagara Falls and Saratoga Springs on two highways! It would be OK if the roads were in great condition, but they aren't, they aren't..... Was told at the toll booth that "you're charged like trucks". Well, I don't think my fifth wheel puts the wear and tear on the highway that trucks do and besides, I'm here spending tourism bucks, especially with diesel at $4.05 on the tollroad (it's been as low as $3.60 other places). I'll have to say that tolls like this definitely will be a factor in where we spend next season traveling.
QUOTE(jamarynn1 @ Jun 27 2012, 08:39 PM) [snapback]29850[/snapback] Not used to east coast rv-ing. Out west, tollroads seem to be far and few between but have just about been tolled to death in Pennsylvania and New York. Total over $50 in tolls between Niagara Falls and Saratoga Springs on two highways! It would be OK if the roads were in great condition, but they aren't, they aren't..... Was told at the toll booth that "you're charged like trucks". Well, I don't think my fifth wheel puts the wear and tear on the highway that trucks do and besides, I'm here spending tourism bucks, especially with diesel at $4.05 on the tollroad (it's been as low as $3.60 other places). I'll have to say that tolls like this definitely will be a factor in where we spend next season traveling. Welcome to the North East! A 35 mile trip from the Jersey Shore to NYC vis Staten Island in a four wheeler is upwards of 20 bucks in tolls. Oh but the good news is, "you only pay one way on the bridges". The return trip is free!
At least the NY Thruway is reasonable for E-ZPass RV'ers that have either the 5'ver discount plan or the motorhome plan. Motorhome plan users pay the same per axle rate as passenger cars.
For that and lots of other reasons we stay out of the NE. Out west you do not have the roads like Pothole Blvd in NE and you have lots more to see and do for less money. Best part is the motorhome has less damage to repair due to the poor roads and parks as well.
Welcome to the NE! When we go through the area I plan carefully to avoid the expensive areas. I fail to see why my small truck with a 22 foot trailer should cost more than a 10 wheeler truck or a greyhound bus on these roads. With a little research I found a way to go south of Washington DC with paying only for a short stretch of toll road from Albany, NY to Kingston, NY. It takes me just 1 hour longer than I95, is a few miles shorter, thus saving me some gas money as well as over 40$ in tolls. And 40$ per hour is not a bad salary for a retired guy!
Cost is a factor, but what is really irritating is having lots of toll booths that slow you down more than if you had gone on a back road. And one of these days when I they try to charge extra for two more axles that my toad has, I'm going to get out of the rig and unhook it right in the middle of the toll station.
We were told that another reason for the high toll was because of our height. Huh? They had to raise an overpass especially for us? We're taller than 18-wheelers? I don't think so......
If you think that's bad you better stay away from Chicago...the tolls there are the worst I have ever seen anywhere.
I was sitting here this morning looking out the window at a large motorhome and realized that on some toll roads it's by the number of axles. A 30,000 lb motorhome has two axles so are they charged the came asa passenger car?
I feel your pain. We've nicknamed the roads to the midwest "The Expensylvania Turnpike" (PA) and the "Oh, I Owe Again! Turnpike" (OH).
I use streets and trips and the Garmin software to plan most of my routes. In doing so I select the option to avoid toll roads. I don't mind the ones that only charge a couple of bucks but the ones that charge me $15 or $20 really tick me off. The other part is they are on Interstate Highways that were paid for by our taxes. So we are getting to pay for it twice and still very little highway improvements. BC
Not all Interstate highways were paid for with tax dollars. The NY Thruway is one example that was built with bond money to be repaid by tolls. The majority of the construction, begun in the early 50's, was completed before the Interstate system was created in 1957.
The NY Thruway is nothing more than a rip-off. Though not financed by the Feds with construction of the Interstate System, a few years back if I recall correctly they were re-imbursed like $500 million for its construction. Now they want to increase truck tolls by 45%! which would of course affect RV'ers with tows. Two years ago went from Buffalo to the end connecting with the Mass T-pike, $56 in tolls! When DW and I were planning our trip to Bar Harbor Maine we forgot to take into account tolls. I think by the time we got to Bar Harbor it cost us like $89 in tolls, the Mass T-pike might of even been more expensive than the T-way in NY. Seemed every 4-5 miles we were stopped to pay a toll. Adjusted our route coming home to travel more two lanes etc., and to our surprise the time and scenery flew by. Today when we plan a camping outing we look to go to places that avoid the T-way. Just more East Coast Taxation in my book by whatever you want to call it!
The NY Thruway Authority is far from perfect, and the state dumping the barge canal system on them has been a big hit to their budget, but in all fairness, the reimbursement you're referring to was a long overdue payment for bringing the roadway into Interstate Highway System compliance under a federal mandate. That amount didn't put much of a dent in the $8 billion (in today's dollars) cost of the main line from the Bronx to Buffalo completed in 1956. As a comparison, the toll in 1956 to travel from the NYC to Buffalo was $5.60 for a passenger car. In today's dollars, that would be about $48. The actual toll today from NYC to the downtown Buffalo exit is $19.60. With E-ZPass, it's a bit cheaper, and with the NY Thruway Motorhome E-ZPass plan, my 33' Class A pays the same tolls per axle as a passenger car. They also have a discount plan for 5'vers.
How much will it cost? _____________________ So excited that finally my own personal blog site is up!
