From the office of Del. Mary-Dulany James:
Dear Friends,
As I hope you heard, last week the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) adopted an amended tolling proposal. It turned out vastly different from the original proposal for the Hatem Bridge that so many of us objected to. I was pleased with how open Secretary of Transportation Beverly Swaim-Staley was to working with me and Delegate Dave Rudolph to achieve a more fair tolling structure for our bridge. I also want to thank the Secretary’s fantastic staff at the Maryland Department of Transportation and the MdTA. The Hatem is a vital throughway for us Harford and Cecil County residents. I am proud of how our we were able to express that fact to Secretary Swaim-Staley and the MdTA board.
While the new proposal does include an increase in 2013, it is much more moderate than previously proposed. You can review the entire new plan at: . For the Hatem Bridge, the AVI decal will be phased out by September 30, 2012. Customers can buy AVI decals for $10 until August 31, 2012, but all decals expire on September 30, 2012, if not before. In place of the AVI two E-ZPass Hatem Bridge plans will be available:
1. Hatem Bridge-Only Plan for two-axle vehicles with a valid transponder provides unlimited trips for the Hatem Bridge ONLY. No monthly account fees or pre-paid tolls will be required for this plan. This plan begins on February 1, 2012, and costs $10 per year. On July 1, 2013, the price increases to $20 per year. E-ZPass transponders will be provided at no charge for the Hatem Bridge-Only Plan until January 31, 2013.
2. For existing or new E-ZPass Maryland customers, the Hatem plan may be added to individual transponders on an E-ZPass Maryland account. Please note that these accounts are still subject to account and transponder fees and pre-paid toll deposits in addition to the annual plan fee.
For all E-ZPass customers the new plan waives the $1.50 monthly fee on accounts used to pay three or more tolls in the previous month at MDTA facilities.
I think this scheme is much more fair than MdTA had initially proposed. So, be sure to get your free transponder before January 31, 2013, and if you have specific questions, please contact MdTA at mdta@mdtransportationauthority.com or feel free to contact my office at mary.dulay.james@house.state.md.us. I hope you are all enjoy the coming fall weather.
Sincerely,
Mary-Dulany James
Please don’t mind if I don’t join the congratulations. We still got higher rates. The toll is going up. Looks like we still got taken to the cleaners. What would happen if I opened my own toll and started charging for driving on my street? The government would come in and arrest me. Why do we keep paying for something that is already paid for? I know the roads need kept and the police and fire (MdTA) needs to be paid. Just think of a car using the Hatem Bridge five days a week and sometimes on the weekend. That could add up for a family on a 30,0000 salary. I’m thinking the politicians raised the rates to the highest amount and then lowered it when we complained. I’m thinking like a car salesman. He raised the price and lowers it to show the customer that he giving us a deal. BUT the price of the car still is higher then what he paid.
I work with many who are pretty unfortunate and dealing with extremely tight budgets or living without a job, and I’m inclined to say for myself and largely on their behalf, that $20 a year for unlimited trips is more than affordable for almost anyone.
There’s nothing to complain about there.
@Harford Voter: Getting the transponder for free and being exempt from the bogus “administrative” fee are both tremendous concessions. Twenty bucks a year will still be an outstanding bargain. Look for this to increase over the years in a more orderly fashion than what they attempted this time. They’ve done a lot of work on the bridge. They’re planning underwater stuff next. The tolls are going to increase no matter what, but hopefully now they will be used to work on the Hatem Bridge and not just any wet dream the MdTA might have to pay for. Unless you’re towing a trailer (in which case you’re still being “taken to the cleaners”) I fail to understand you’re objections.
@amazed….getting a free transponder is supposed to do what? Take the admin charges off the bill. Then the toll still goes up. My complaint is all the self congratulations going around and the only thing that happened is the tolls went up. Like I said, they raised to the highest amount and then lowered it after complaining, but still it’s high. Hopefully the money will be used for the bridge, but probally goes into a general fund and then gets handed out. Why should the tax payers of harford and cecil county pay more to go across a bridge that is our life line. How many orderly fashions will we have to endure. Seems the transportation fund is something to be raided in times of need.
@Harford Voter
Things get more expensive over time. The infrastructure does not take care of itself. Maybe we can get you our there with a scraper and spray gear to keep the bridge up.
Maybe we can get rid of the 5 overweight chain smoking MTA Cops that set on there A s s at the foot of the bridge and did nothing for the three year construction. That should help lower the cost.
@Say Wah…..I know things get expensive, but the work is being done and not all the time. Just imagine how much money has been collected in one week/one day. I am sure there are better ways to raise the rates, but don’t they know people depend on the bridges to work in different counties. We could go over Rt 1, but I am sure they would find a way to put a toll up there. @Fed Up Tax Payer….Good point, but they are MdTA cops and MTA is a whole nuther group of overpaid transpotation cops….I do have to say, that I respect the badge and would not put their job down lightly….Just look at the police officer murdered in Delaware. He was protecting the citizens and got murdered. Officer Pyle was a good officer and did not deserve to be killed on the Hatem Bridge.
“My complaint is all the self congratulations going around and the only thing that happened is the tolls went up”
I fully agree, we also have a transponder that no one wanted
You have a beef there. But the transponders were always going to win. That was clear very early on. And if not today, then someday.
It’s free. Other than tracking the comings and goings of the paranoid militia members, most people can get over it.
Does anyone know what a round trip cost for a Snow Ball Truck to use the bridge. Oh wait, HdeG may give it a tax break….MY Bad.
What? You all don’t get your transponder free already? Why not? No one should pay for a transponder. I get mine free and always have. Why? Because when Maryland decided to charge I sent mine back and went elsewhere to get my transponder. See, the dirty little secret that Maryland doesn’t want you to know is that you can get your EZ Pass transponder and have an E Z Pass account a whole bunch of places. And some of them don’t charge. Tell Maryland thanks, but no thanks, I believe I will get my E Z Pass account and transponder elsewhere.
The $20 per year Hatem plan is only available on MD issued transponders.
Oops.
Now as for the toll hikes, there is an election every so often in Maryland. Stop griping and whining and do something about it. We get the government we voted for.
Yes there are elections in Maryland and the politicians seem to spoon feed us on the “good jod” they did in the tolls. We get the feel good stories that they want us to hear. Bad thing is most people do not vote and the same people count on the low turn out to keep their job. I think it is kinda funny that some politicians change once they get in office. I am a firm believer in staying true. Example: Gay Marriage in Maryland and DADT. Seems politicians put theri finger in the air and see which way the winds are blowing. I don’t have a problem with a persons sexual orientation…..just don’t force me to hear about it every day. There are plenty of good service members who are gay and gave their life for this country. Does that make them less of a hero? NO!!!!!!!!!!!! But, again, don’t force me to hear about it everyday.