Western Mass. residents wait in line to register for new E-ZPass transponders in the parking lot of Chicopee’s Big Y Supermarket on Memorial Drive yesterday. (Photo by Peter Francis)
CHICOPEE – Shoppers at the Memorial Drive Big Y in Chicopee were able to kill two birds with one stone yesterday, getting their grocery shopping done and also filling out paperwork for new transponders to correspond with new toll fees being implemented for the western end of the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Following a July decision by Beacon Hill, a new transportation financing law will restore toll fees for passenger vehicles between Exit 1 in West Stockbridge and Exit 6, which services Chicopee and Interstate 291 to Springfield.
The Turnpike’s six western-most tolls will be reinstated on October 15, according to DOT Director of Communications Cynthia M. Roy Gonzalez, after 17 years of no tolls.
Under the new law, Westfield drivers will have to pay 45 cents to travel three exits west to West Stockbridge or east to Chicopee/291.
The event was supposed to kick off at 1 p.m. but began early, as a line of a hundred or so people from all over Hampden County had already assembled, some waiting since noon.
According to Department of Transportation Administrator Frank DePaola, who was on hand for the DOT’s stops in Lee and Chicopee yesterday afternoon, the turnout was good but heavy.
“We were in Lee for two hours earlier today, and only registered 75 people,” he said as he surveyed the line, which was already longer than 75 patrons and only seemed to grow in the midafternoon heat of the supermarket blacktop.
Mass. Department of Transportation Administrator Frank DePaola answers questions at a MassDOT event in Chicopee yesterday (Photo by Peter Francis)
He went on to say that the DOT has begun targeting information sessions in western Mass. and the Berkshires, having been doing so in greater Boston for most of the summer.
Among the communities which were represented in the line were the hometown of Chicopee, Springfield, Holyoke, and West Springfield, along with a large contingency from Westfield.
Feedback was mixed, regarding both the reimplementation of tolls and the impending changes to the turnpike’s toll collection system, replacing the current system of twenty-five tollbooths and their operators with eighteen overhead gantries which motorists will drive through at highway speeds and pay tolls via transponders similar to those used by the current E-ZPass system. Registrants were trading in their western Mass.-specific orange devices yesterday for new white devices.
“I don’t like it,” said Jean Zercher of Westfield, who said she only puts the transponder on her window when she goes through the gantry.
She also wonders what will happen if future drivers operating without transponders refuse to pay the invoices which they will receive in the mail.
“If you don’t have one, you’ll probably get your license taken away,” she said. “They should have a basket (system) like in New Hampshire.”
Other Westfielders expressed their displeasure over the new system.
“It sucks,” said Lynn Carboneau, referring to changes. “This is ridiculous. The Pike’s been paid for a million times. This (the line for the transponders) is so unorganized. It’s awful.”
The elimination of 400 toll booth operator jobs was also of a concern to some Westfielders present in the parking lot.
“It’s going to be putting people out,” said Lois Horak, who was present with her husband Fred.
Western Mass. residents look to register for new E-ZPass transponders in the parking lot of Chicopee’s Big Y Supermarket on Memorial Drive yesterday. (Photo by Peter Francis)
“We gotta go through with it, whether we like it or not,” he said. “But I liked the old way better – free.”
Other Whip City residents were more embracing of the changes.
“It’s great, it’s going to stop the long lines,” said Nixa Oliver. “It’s going to help… the money’s going to go to something good.”
“I do use the Pike a lot to go to Rhode Island,” said Sheila McLaughlin. “It’ll be faster, but I am still leary of it.”
“I have a whole lotta thoughts about it, but I’m going to go with the flow,” said Wayne Theriaque, whose employer, Merchant Metals in Westfield, recently relocated to Chicopee, meaning Theriaque will now spend more time on Interstate 90.
Due to heavy morning congestion on Exit 6, he said he will be using Exit 5 to get to work everyday.
“(Exit 6) is murder in the morning,” Theriaque said. “I’ll be using Exit 5 to go up Fuller Road to 291, which will bring me close to our shop.”
Overall, the event served it’s purpose, equipping motorists for a new era in mass pike commerce.
“We told people about it (this event) yesterday, and they got the message,” said MassDOT Spokesman Sara Lavoie.
“This is the beginning of a public information campaign,” said DePaola. “We’re getting a large public response and I’m encouraged. People got the message.”
