IBTTA Supports Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s Budget Proposal for a Long-Term, Sustainable Solution to Invest in the State’s Infrastructure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 20, 2019
CONTACT: Bill Cramer, Communications Director
202-210-2962 (mobile)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – “The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) released the following statement about Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s proposed budget: 

IBTTA salutes Governor Lamont for proposing “a reliable, sustainable source of revenue to bring the state’s transportation system into the 21st century.”  In his budget address, the Governor said, “I cannot fix this state unless I fix the transportation system. After 40 years of underinvesting in our transportation system, we cannot borrow our way out of this mess.” He also acknowledged that while “People in the state are getting squeezed and the middle class is getting hammered,” the state must look at other promising ways to pay to rebuild its infrastructure. One of those ways is implementing tolling on cars and trucks on major highways in the state.

Connecticut is not alone in considering tolling to rebuild and maintain vital highway infrastructure. There are more than 6,300 miles of tolled highways, bridges and tunnels in 35 states. Without tolling, some of the most heavily traveled roads and bridges in the U.S. would never have been built.

Tolling is a powerful and effective tool to build and maintain highways in areas with high traffic volumes like Connecticut and other northeastern states. And with widespread application of electronic tolling systems such as E-ZPass, there is no need for stopping and waiting to pay. Instead, cars and trucks pay tolls at highway speeds, which reduces congestion, pollution and accidents.

Gov. Lamont correctly points out that, as Americans shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles, the fuel tax is not a sustainable funding mechanism. Tolling is a fairer way to charge all vehicles — including electric vehicles that pay no fuel tax — because users pay based on miles traveled, not fuel consumption.

Another benefit of tolling is that you pay only if you use a toll facility. This is important because many who drive through Connecticut pay no fuel taxes and pay nothing to support the state’s roadways. We hope Connecticut residents and elected leaders will fairly consider the benefits of tolling to rebuild its vital infrastructure.  As the Governor said, we should “use this fiscal challenge as a wake-up call to jump start our economy.”

About IBTTA

The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in more than 20 countries on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.