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Kenneth, the powers that be are running out of revenue streams to steal from; the toll fiasco is just another way to put cash into the General Fund, which is where they'll eventually vote to put it when the roads and bridges have been improved enough to pass inspection- tools are a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

RI already has the 8th highest gas taxes in the nation and the worst roads in the nation; if the revenues from fuel taxes, license and registration fees and traffic violations stayed in a highway fund where they've belonged for several decades, the GA wouldn't be finding new and creative ways to separate taxpaying drivers from their hard-earned money.

The idea that tractor-trailers are destroying the roads is a red herring, also; the weight of the vehicle is spread over more linear feet than shorter CONSTRUCTION vehicles like dump trucks and cement mixers which have a smaller, denser footprint, causing much less weight to be placed on a bridge or roadway- it's just another example of RI's long-standing anti-business attitude, and once again benefits the OC-connected construction companies, thanks to their pals in the General Assembly.

Beginning in the late 1960's into the '70's, RI State and municipal road maintenance budgets were slashed to the point where the State, cities and towns can barely fill a pothole; this trend was supported by the General Assembly and city and town councils with the collusion and support of the OC-connected construction companies who directly benefited from the need to "contract out" all construction. Now RI can't build anything without it being over-schedule, over-budget, and/or not built to code, and they have no alternative but to deal with unionized contractors.

Compare construction budgets with those for projects in other states- the first thing one notices is the inflated budgets and looong schedules for RI/New England projects