Originally posted by: CPA
Most of that goes to pay for the bonds that were issued to build the bridge, the toll authority management and maintenance and upkeep. I'm not siding with striking union employees, but the toll collectors probably make a couple of bucks above minimum.
That's probably pretty unusual then. I've heard that here in MA, those tollbooth collector jobs make 50K/year easily and full benefits, and are generally doled out to people as a "political favor". You don't get those juicy state jobs on merit alone, in most cases.
Then again, the MA turnpike was supposed to be made free, after it was all paid off, but they need the funds to pay off/make up for the losses from their political crony contractors that were embezzling from the Big Dig project.
So now our turnpike fees, and basically anything to do with cars and transportation in this state, got hiked way up the last few years.
Then again, the MA turnpike is maintained pretty-well too.
When I drove through OH on the TP this last summer, I swear, it looked like a place that time had forgotten. Road surface chewed up, toll booths that looked like an apparition from the past, like they were just going to fade away in a bad dream after taking my money, somewhat ala the 'Phantom Tollbooth', sort of.
Edit: Oh yeah, EZ-PASS can bag you pretty easy too, if you speed. Most people do, on the turnpike. In fact, if you don't do 70-75MPH+, you'll get run over. Even though the limit is 65MPH, and 55 in spots. They'll send you a speeding ticket in the mail. I've even heard of people getting tickets mailed to them, for cars that they don't even own. Gotta love MA state agencies.