LAKE HARMONY, Pa. — It was Carbon County's turn to respond to PennDOT's plan to toll nine bridges, including three here in our area, in an effort to pay for expensive repairs.
A meeting was held at Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony to address PennDOT's proposed bridge tolling of the Lehigh River Bridge in White Haven.
The section of Interstate 80, as well as another stretch over Nescopeck Creek in Luzerne County and the bridge along Interstate 81 in Susquehanna County, are among those being considered.
Initially, it was proposed to toll traffic in both directions, but PennDOT officials say after public feedback, they are only considering one-way tolling at each bridge.
"We're looking at approximately one to two dollars, is what they're looking at for passenger vehicles. Trucks, it would be more than that," said Ron Young, PennDOT. "It hasn't been finalized yet, but because they are bigger vehicles, they do more damage to the roads, so they would pay a little more."
"Little people cannot afford it. People who are making under 30,000 cannot afford this. This is not right. They keep coming after us. If everybody looks at their wallets and realizes that everybody that's make 20, 30,000 dollars all these big shots that come up with these cockamamie ideas the money comes out of our pockets. I don't see it coming out of theirs," said a woman that did not want to give her name.
Tolls would be collected through an E-Z Pass or pay-by-plate option to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which would send the money to PennDOT.
No official decision has been made just yet.
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