The Joint Committee on Transportation last week began a series of four public hearings regarding the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, along with transportation financing issues throughout the state.
The meetings are in response to proposed toll hikes that may take effect in February or March and Gov. Deval Patrick’s announcement last month that he will submit legislation in January that will dissolve MassPike within the next two years. That plan involves merging the western portion of MassPike into the state’s Department of Highways and having the Massachusetts Port Authority take over management of the Metropolitan Highway System, which runs throughout the greater Boston area.
Patrick has yet to detail which entity would then take on $2.2 billion of outstanding MHS debt.
Wednesday’s hearing focused on public-private partnerships and the state’s ability to enter into an agreement similar to the Chicago Skyway’s $1.8 billion P3 deal and the Indiana Tollway’s $3.8 billion concession agreement.
Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Haverhill, who co-chairs the transportation committee, has been critical of raising MassPike tolls and increasing the state’s gas tax to help pay for road and highway needs.
In October 2007, officials began working with UBS Securities LLC on how to generate the most revenue out of the state’s transportation assets. Since then, the Patrick administration has not announced a P3 proposal on a state roadway.
The committee will also meet tomorrow to address Patrick’s proposal to end MassPike. Additional hearings will be held on Dec. 17 and on Jan. 6.
