By Tessa Roy, WPRO News
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) reported on Thursday that truck tolls continue to bring in more money than anticipated.
In its data for the second month of the tolling program, RIDOT said 200,746 eligible vehicles were tolled, up from their estimate of 177,000. That brought in $664,617.50.
RIDOT also noted that diversion rates are lower than expected. Though it was estimated about 300 trucks per day would divert off I-95 to Route 3 to avoid tolls, RIDOT said only four more trucks than usual per day are traveling on Route 3.
RIDOT said a completed tolling program will provide $45 million per year to improve the state’s infrastructure. The cost of collecting, operating, and maintaining the tolls will total $4 million per year, and the remaining $41 million collected is being deposited into restricted RIDOT accounts to pay for reconstruction and rehabilitation of specific bridge projects near the tolling locations.
