BOSTON (WHDH) - A Massachusetts senator has proposed legislation aimed at alleviating traffic by lowering the price of tolls for travel during off-peak hours.
Each day, traffic troubles for commuters heading into Boston seem to be getting worse, but Democratic Sen. Joseph Boncore, of Winthrop, believes something called “congestion pricing” may help.
“We need a way to change people’s traffic behavior and traffic patterns,” he said. “So this is an attempt to reduce tolls on off-peak hours.”
Boncore wants to start a pilot program that would lower tolls on roads like the Mass Pike and Tobin Bridge during off-peak hours. He says the idea, which is in the budget, would not raise tolls, only lower them during the off-peak hours.
“We do want to incentivize people who can leave at different hours of the day, or who are maybe just going out to do some shopping or other recreational activities, to leave during not peak hours,” he said.
There are questions about whether or not people who work traditional nine-to-five jobs should have to pay more than others. Some say the answer is more complicated.
“More public transportation absolutely but also regulating the things that are making the problem,” one Bay Stater told 7News. “It wasn’t this bad three or four years ago. It is the Uber and Lyft factor as well.”
Boncore hopes to have the program up and running by the beginning of 2019. The legislation, which is currently being reviewed on Beacon Hill, would need to be signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker.
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