“The Massachusetts
Turnpike Authority was created in 1952 by a special act
of the Massachusetts General Court (legislature) upon
the recommendation of Governor Dever and his
Commissioner of Public Works, William F. Callahan. (1952
Acts and Resolves chapter 354; 1952 Senate Doc. 1.) The
enabling act was modeled upon that of the Mystic River
Bridge Authority (1946 Acts and Resolves chapter 562),
but several changes were made that would prove of great
importance fifty years later. . . .
“Construction began in
1955 . . .”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Turnpike#History
“The turnpike
proposal, which was not in the Executive Office of
Transportation and Construction's (EOTC) original bill
but was added following extensive hearings last summer,
raised concerns at today's hearing among several
committee members who said they and their constituents
were looking forward to the day when the authority's
bonded indebtedness will be paid off and turnpike tolls
can cease. The bonds are scheduled to retire in 1995.”
State House News
Service
December 10, 1987
Transportation Bond
"The turnpike is the
most expensive highway per mile in terms of tolls in the
United States. The tollbooths — and the authority — were
supposed to be dismantled when bonds for construction
were paid off, but the authority has developed a pattern
of finding new reasons to issue more bonds, which
necessitate its continued existence."
State House News
Service
August 29, 1991
“TURNPIKE
BONDS.....State Treasurer Joseph Malone holds a news
conference Tuesday at 11 am in room 157 to address the
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority's plan to issue $500
million in bonds for road repairs. Gov. William Weld has
filed two bills in attempt to block the bond
authorization.”
State House News
Service
Advances: Week of April 13, 1992
“The governor is
concerned, of course, that state law allows the tolls on
the western Turnpike to be removed after 2017, when the
bonds are paid off. When that happens the new funding
for transportation could dip below where he thinks it
needs to be.
“That one always makes
us giggle — the bonds should have been paid off decades
ago, but Beacon Hill has never been reluctant to
postpone that day of fiscal reckoning.”
Boston Herald
editorial
July 19, 2013
Too late for talking
"'I believe the $805
million will be there in 2017 because I don’t see how
those tolls are going to come down,' Cabral said during
an oversight hearing Tuesday. 'To use the scare tactic,
if you will, that if we don’t have the $135 million we
won’t be able to fund South Coast or the Green Line is a
little disingenuous.'
"Cabral referenced a
1952 law that stipulated tolls on the western turnpike
will come down when the bonds are paid off and if the
highway is in a state of good repair.
“'It’s unlikely a
responsible secretary of transportation will make the
decision to bring those down, so I think we’re focusing
too much on this hypothetical possibility,'” Cabral
said."
State House News
Service
July 23, 2013
Rep claims "scare tactics" in toll debate
