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Again, that is through fuel taxes, which people pay in states across the country, as the Interstate System uses a Federal fuel tax. That is why I said that if you don’t use tolls to fund the Thruway, that is the only other way to pay for highways. I believe parts of the Thruway in the Albany area has a “free zone”. Here is an explanation as to why: https://www.timesunion.com/local/art...es-4724553.php
Here is another segment in terms of how the Thruway wouldn’t be free if you took the tolls away and that a third of the revenue comes from out of state drivers: https://cbs6albany.com/news/you-paid...ls-or-by-taxes
So, there is no free lunch either way.
Only part in the Albany area that is a "free zone" is between Exit 24 and Exit 25A. Other than that, the only "free" Interstates in the vicinity are I-88, the Northway, I-890 and I-787.
Last edited by ContraPagan; 09-05-2023 at 04:00 PM..
It would have to, but considering that 90% of the Thruway's funding is from tolls, that is a relatively small portion.
Here is a quote from the article that explains the free zone in the Albany area: "Q: On a recent trip to Illinois, we traveled on the New York State Thruway from Albany and noticed that there is a "free zone" in Buffalo.
The Thruway is maintained by the Thruway Authority for this stretch of road. There is a toll booth after Exit 49 and then another after Exit 55. There is no charge between these two toll booths yet there is a significant amount of traffic on the road there.
Why does Buffalo rate this "free zone" and why doesn't Albany have one?
A: Actually, we do.
"Albany does, in fact, have one of the 'zones' in question," said Thruway Authority spokesman Colin Brennan. "Motorists who enter the Thruway at Exit 24, 25, or 26 and get off at Exit 25A — or vice versa — are not charged a toll."
That's because when Exit 25A was added to connect Interstate 88 to Interstate 90, federal funds were used for the construction. That means the state cannot charge tolls for those trips.
"We think that it is important for all Thruway motorists to understand that, throughout the nearly six decades that the Thruway has been in existence, nearly all of the cost of operations, maintenance and capital improvements has been covered by tolls," Brennan added. "Prior to the current year, when the state agreed to provide a small amount of support for operating costs, the Thruway Authority never received any New York state taxpayer dollars at all."
What's interesting, though is that every single shipment of food, clothing, furniture, building supplies, and LITTERALY EVERYTHING that we consume in upstate NY is delivered by trucks who BUILD THE TOLLS INTO THE COST OF DELIVERY. In otherwords, EVERYONE pays the tolls, even if they don't use the thruway themselves. PERIOD!!!
What's interesting, though is that every single shipment of food, clothing, furniture, building supplies, and LITTERALY EVERYTHING that we consume in upstate NY is delivered by trucks who BUILD THE TOLLS INTO THE COST OF DELIVERY. In otherwords, EVERYONE pays the tolls, even if they don't use the thruway themselves. PERIOD!!!
Not necessarily, as not everyone gets their products by way of trucks coming on the Thruway. So, even if you take that indirect payment stance, you have to consider people in Plattsburgh, Watertown, in the Southern Tier, etc. that may not get their products via a truck that takes the Thruway. Let alone if they even get their products via truck at all. So, that isn't necessarily true.
Again, the Thruway is paid by tolls from the people that use it. Not every truck may use the Thruway to drop products off to various communities across the state and not everyone who helps to maintain it come from NY State.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 09-06-2023 at 07:42 AM..
$276 million in UNPAID tolls. hmmm. Who's going to close the gap? Hopefully many of those not paying the tolls, paid in different ways, like purchasing gas, food and lodging.
$276 million in UNPAID tolls. hmmm. Who's going to close the gap? Hopefully many of those not paying the tolls, paid in different ways, like purchasing gas, food and lodging.
I actually posted an article earlier in the thread that mentions the toll gap(post #120 at the bottom of page 12). So, if they used the Thruway, they are going to pay up some how. Trust me, as I've had a family member use a similar highway in another state(I believe IL or IN) that ended up having to pay the totality of the trip for using that toll highway.
Not necessarily, as not everyone gets their products by way of trucks coming on the Thruway. So, even if you take that indirect payment stance, you have to consider people in Plattsburgh, Watertown, in the Southern Tier, etc. that may not get their products via a truck that takes the Thruway. Let alone if they even get their products via truck at all. So, that isn't necessarily true.
Again, the Thruway is paid by tolls from the people that use it. Not every truck may use the Thruway to drop products off to various communities across the state and not everyone who helps to maintain it come from NY State.
Even if a truck does not take the Thruway they still have to pay a tax on the miles they drive here. When I worked for a local steel company I used to have to track the miles our truck fleet drove, and it was my job to file the Highway Use Tax every month. THat tax gets paid on the miles our trucks drove in NYS OFF the Thruway.
Even if a truck does not take the Thruway they still have to pay a tax on the miles they drive here. When I worked for a local steel company I used to have to track the miles our truck fleet drove, and it was my job to file the Highway Use Tax every month. THat tax gets paid on the miles our trucks drove in NYS OFF the Thruway.
This actually proves my point. I know that there are taxes for Interstates that help pay for its maintenance. I’m just saying that the Thruway is overwhelmingly paid by those that use it, not by everyone outside of the small “free” portions that were Federally funded or the small portion in Buffalo that is free due to actually following the 1996 announcement(and finally removed the booths about 10 years later).
I agree with him, except for his statement "now is the time". The time would have been before installing all the electronic readers, and brand new contract with the rest stops.
Now is the second best time to look into things.
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