Petition to remove Grand Island bridge tolls

Petition to remove the Grand Island Tolls

To The Honorable Governor Pataki
Governor Elect Eliot Spitzer

In recent weeks it has become apparent that the people of Western New York are fed up with the taxing of its citizens through the toll booths. Call it what you will, commuter tax or a tax for the upkeep of the bridges, it is wrong and we want the tolls removed from the Grand Island Bridges.
Commuter traffic has become so intense traffic is backed up onto the Youngman Expressway (290) as they wait in line to get onto the 190 off ramp, to wait in line to pay the tolls. Vehicles traveling at the speed limit are now coming up on vehicles at a dead stop.

Governor, we have three options at this point;

1- Build another bridge to Grand Island New York.
2- Expand or widen the bridges.
3- Remove the tolls to allow the free flow of traffic.

The quickest, easiest and least expensive way to resolve this issue is to remove the tolls from the Grand Island Bridges as soon as possible. We have been working to eliminate the tolls from the bridges since the 1950's.

We have gone through the chain of command, the local Town Board, the County government, the Assembly and the Senate. Legislation that has been introduced has failed us over and over again, as political promises that have been made have never come through.

We the people of Grand Island and Western New York request that you, the Governor of the State of New York, remove the tolls from the Grand Island Bridges.

Thank you for your Leadership in this matter.