Citizens speak out as ruling nears on toll hikes

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A car stops to pay a toll at the Oldtown Bridge in Oldtown. Steve Bittner/Times-News

Citizens speak out as ruling nears on toll hikes

Final hearing on Oldtown bridge held at former school

Greg Larry Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue Jan 15, 2013, 10:50 AM EST

OLDTOWN — Multiple concerned citizens stepped to the microphone Monday at the former Oldtown School to make a final in-person plea before a judge of the Maryland Public Service Commission to protest what they see as a sharp increase in toll fees at a bridge they describe as a lifeline for them.

“The evidentiary portion will end tonight,” said Dennis H. Sober, the public law judge who conducted the meeting for the state PSC.

“We are not against an increase, but we are against the amount,” said Susanne Roy, who said she represented a group protesting the toll hike called The Voice of Reason.

A proposed settlement is now on the table between the Historic Oldtown Bridge Preservation, LLC, who owns the bridge and the commission.

Current rates are 50 cents for cars and pickup trucks, 25 cents for motorcycles and $2 for tractor-trailers and buses, A monthly pass is available for $14.

CEO of the bridge ownership entity, Lori Roberts, sought an increase of $2 for cars and pickups, $1 for motorcycles and $8 for trailers and buses while doing away with the monthly pass altogether.

A settlement between the PSC and ownership suggests $1.50 for cars, pickups and vans, 50 cents for motorcycles, $6 for trailers and buses while offering a monthly pass for $45.

Around 50 people attended the meeting with seven or eight speaking. Many echoed the main concern of what they see as a 300-percent in-crease in the monthly pass.

“Taking the monthly pass for $14 to $45 is just too much. The amount of this increase will hurt people and business on both sides of the bridge,” said Tina Rapson.

The bridge ownership cited the main reason for increasing the tolls was to raise money for repairs to the historic bridge.

“We want a fair and reasonable rate. We need rates that can be afforded by those who use the bridge but the more revenue the more likely the bridge is repaired. It’s a balancing act,” said Sober.

Concerned citizens continued to press for rates they feel are reasonable.

“I don’t think they have made any effort to look for alternative sources for the bridge repairs,” said Roy following the meeting.

“I don’t think they look at grants or stimulus money or anything. I also don’t feel they even listened to the idea of hardship rate,” said Roy.

Ray Emerick, who owns the Green Spring Pub, also protested the increase.

“Since all this has come about a lot of my customers do not want to cross the bridge. I’ve done everything to keep my costs down. I went from bottle to can because people don’t have money. Now this is going to be another hurdle,” said Emerick.

Many present were part of nearly 400 people who signed a petition protesting, particularly the dropping of a monthly pass.

The PSC will go into a seven-day period of taking written comments before entering its final decision-making process. Sober said he will then make a determination through a proposed order to accept or reject. There will be an appeal period following that.

Roberts declined to make comments on the meeting citing the ongoing nature of the open case.

Sober said people can follow the case on the commission website under case 9296.

Greg Larry can be contacted at glarry@times-news.com.

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Citizens speak out as ruling nears on toll hikes

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