By Ian Briggs
Staff Columnist
For those among us who commute over the Bay Bridge, life is going to get a bit more expensive. On Oct. 1 of 2012, the cost of driving over the Bay Bridge increased from $2.50 to $4, and by September 2013, it will rise to $6. This toll increase does not just apply to the Bay Bridge; it will affect all bridges and toll roads in Maryland. The Bay Bridge is the main connection between the Eastern Shore and western Maryland, which includes Baltimore and Annapolis, not to mention Washington D.C.
So why this dramatic increase in the cost of using the bridge? The Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA), which oversees all state tolls, has stated that the increase is to keep up with obligations to bondholders and the costs of repairing an aging transportation infrastructure. Tolls for the Bay Bridge have been frozen at $2.50 since the mid-70s This makes the Bridge as stated by the Baltimore Sun “a remarkable bargain compared with other toll bridges across the country.” The increase in tolls would be the largest in Maryland’s history and would generate millions in revenue.
Unsurprisingly, these price hikes have led to a public outcry from both sides of the aisle and Bay. As originally proposed in June, the plans called for the price to go up to $8 by 2013. Over the course of 10 public hearings this summer, the MTA has backed off quite a bit in an effort to make these price increases more palatable.
Still, students like Senior Thomas Newton, a frequent commuter across the bridge have their complaints. “This is all too much too quick; the fact that the prices are nearly doubling in a few weeks is ridiculous and unfair to the people of the western Shore,” he said.
There is, however, a bright side to some of the upcoming changes. One plus will be a cheaper E-Z pass system. If you use an E-Z pass three times or more a month, the $1.50 surcharge on the card will be waived. Also, the price of a new card will drop from $21 to only $9. If you are a boater or an equestrian on campus you will be happy to learn that the cost of transporting your “goods” by trailer will be the same as for a regular two axle truck.
Senior Lawrence Baker, a frequent user of the bridge said, “No one likes to see prices go up, but I am surprised they waited as long as they did. When you consider the amount of use that goes into it, I would say it’s reasonable.”
The mistake the MTA made was in failing to raise tolls on the Bay Bridge earlier and more often. For 30 odd years, the price has remained the same. In hindsight, they should have taken into account the increasing costs of repairs and inflation. Tolls could have been raised gradually by a quarter every couple of years, which could have solved the problem before it emerged.
The MTA has painted itself into a corner. Either it can raise tolls, harming local businesses and commuters, or dramatically cut back on transportation repairs and improvements. In that the authorities are in the proverbial economic hole, they have chosen the former. Bad planning is at the heart of the problem, but at this point the MTA needs money more than it does popularity. So for better or worse, getting across the Bay is going to get more expensive.