NEW MILFORD, Pa. — Over the next couple of years, the drive along a portion of Interstate 81, near the Great Bend-Hallstead exit, could look a bit different.
PennDOT's proposed electronic toll system would look to charge drivers $1 to $2 for cars and $5 to $10 for tractor-trailers.
The agency also wants to rebuild the last nine miles from here to New York State.
The plans led to a packed public meeting at Blue Ridge High School in New Milford, with many who oppose it.
"They have no plan. I mean they're chasing themselves around trying to develop another tax on the people that live here," said Alan Hall, a Susquehanna County Commissioner.
Robert Weaver of Susquehanna says it will end up costing his household $112 a month.
"After all my bills I only have $408 a month, so a quarter of that is going to work, to be able to survive, to be able to feed my child. Are we going to get a pass through there for free? No. Harrisburg has always left us behind, and they always charge us for it," said Robert Weaver.
Some drivers tell Newswatch 16 they believe many people will avoid this bridge here on I-81 and take alternate routes.
"We cannot afford this. The traffic that is going to come down from route 81. They say the trucks will stay up there, they won't. We've seen it," said Sherry Wayman of Great Bend.
The project is part of a plan to reconstruct nine bridges.
Money made from the tolls would be used to pay for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the bridge and roadway.
PennDOT officials say with more fuel-efficient vehicles and revenues from the gas tax being low, it is proposing these toll bridges.
"We realize that it is a toll and a tax, but it is also something that's paid by the users, so it is a user fee if you're using the road your paying for it," said Richard Roman, PennDOT District 4 Executive.
No decision has been made yet.
PennDOT will be accepting comments throughout the duration of the comment period, which ends at 11:59 p.m. on December 8, 2021.
Online comments can be submitted directly from the meeting website or via the below methods.
- Email: i81Susquehanna@pa.gov
- Hotline: (570) 892-4004
- Mail: PennDOT District 4, Attn: 1-81 Susquehanna Project, 55 Keystone Industrial Park, Dunmore, PA 18512
For more information, see the project website.
Two bridges along Interstate 80 are also included in PennDOT's toll plans, but those plans have changed a bit.
Engineers originally proposed tolling in both directions for the I-80 bridge over the Nescopeck Creek in Luzerne County and for the bridge crossing the Lehigh River in Carbon County.
PennDOT now wants to add tolls on just one side of each bridge meaning drivers who commute back and forth on that stretch of highway would only have to pay one time.
Want to learn more about the bridge project over Nescopeck Creek? There's a public meeting on Tuesday, December 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Nescopeck Social Hall.
