A coalition of construction businesses and labor unions is making a case for implementing electronic highway tolls to pay for Connecticut’s poorly rated roads and bridges.
Move CT Forward said it launched a six-figure TV advertising campaign on Tuesday in an attempt to inform the public on how the state has allowed its infrastructure to deteriorate. Ads claim that placing tolls on state highways is the top solution to generating enough revenues for major infrastructure improvements.
The coalition, which rolled out its first ad campaign last year, includes Wethersfield’s Connecticut Construction Industries Association and CT Ready-Mixed Concrete Association; Hartford-based CT Laborers’ District Council; and Boston-based New England Regional Council of Carpenters.
Billed as “Families,” the advertising campaign shoots down calls to address the state’s infrastructure issues by raising retail and gas taxes — Connecticut already has the nation’s seventh highest rate — or increase borrowing at the expense of state taxpayers.
The coalition paints a dire picture facing Connecticut roadways, citing reports that say 57 percent of roads are in “poor condition” and a third of bridges rated as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete.”
The poor road and bridge conditions, the coalition says, is causing more congestion, as Connecticut residents lose an estimated 40 hours a year to traffic.
“Companies and jobs are fleeing Connecticut, citing our terrible transportation infrastructure,” the coalition said in a statement. “Investing in repairing and improving our roads and bridges will reduce traffic congestion and help keep jobs and attract more companies to grow our economy.”
Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed placing electronic tolls on Interstates 84, 95, 81 and Route 15, estimating the system could generate $800 million a year, with 40 percent of revenues coming from out-of-state drivers.
If implemented, Lamont’s proposal says the 39-mile trip from New Haven to Hartford could cost in-state drivers $1.72 during peak hours and $1.36 during less busy periods.
Meantime, Republican lawmakers have proposed a “Prioritize Progress” plan, which would avoid tolls and pays for infrastructure repairs through state borrowing.
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