An Act To Change the Tolling on the Maine Turnpike
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0621
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: PARRY, THOMAS, BENNETT, CAREY, CHASE, DION, THERIAULT, VALENTINO
Amends: 23 MRSA §1973

Legislative Document 
No. 621 
H.P. 440 
House of Representatives, February 21, 2013 
An Act To Change the Tolling on the Maine Turnpike 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative PARRY of Arundel. 
Cosponsored by Senator THOMAS of Somerset and 
Representatives: BENNETT of Kennebunk, CAREY of Lewiston, CHASE of Wells, DION of 
Portland, THERIAULT of Madawaska, Senator: VALENTINO of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  23 MRSA §1973, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §63 and 
affected by §153 and Pt. C, §15, is further amended to read: 
3.  Tolls.  Tolls, or and the fixing of tolls, is not rulemaking and is are not subject to 
supervision or regulation by any state commission, board or agency.  Subject to 
subsection 4, the authority may fix and revise from time to time tolls for the use of the 
turnpike and the different parts or sections of the turnpike, and charge and collect the 
tolls, and contract with any person, partnership, association or corporation desiring the 
use of any part of the turnpike, including the right-of-way adjoining the paved portion.  
The tolls Tolls must be so fixed and adjusted as to provide a fund at least sufficient with 
other revenues of the turnpike, if any, to pay for each fiscal year:  
A.  The cost of maintaining, repairing and operating the turnpike, and providing and 
maintaining reasonable reserves for those costs; 
B.  The bonds and the interest on those bonds, and all sinking fund requirements, and 
other requirements provided by the resolution authorizing issuance of the bonds or by 
the trust indenture or loan or a security agreement as those bonds, interest, sinking 
fund requirements and other requirements become due; 
C.  Those sums for the purpose of maintaining, constructing or reconstructing access 
roads or portions of access roads that have been requested by the department and in 
the sole discretion of the authority are from time to time determined to warrant the 
expenditure of turnpike revenues; and 
D.  The cost of maintaining, constructing or reconstructing interchanges. 
The authority may use any method for assessing and collecting tolls, including but not 
limited to toll tickets, barrier toll facilities, billing accounts, commuter passes and 
electronic recording or identification devices.  The display of a recording or identification 
device issued or authorized by the authority for these purposes on or near the windshield 
of a motor vehicle is not a violation of a law or rule, including but not limited to Title 
29-A, sections 1916 and 2082, unless the device is attached in a way that obstructs the 
driver's clear view of the highway or an intersecting highway. 
Sec. 2.  23 MRSA §1973, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 476, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
4.  Rates.  The rate of toll at each toll facility listed under subsection 6 may be 
revised from time to time for the purposes under subsection 3.  The authority shall adopt 
rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are major 
substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
A-1.  The authority is prohibited from imposing variable surcharges based on the 
time of day.   
B.  A reduction in the rates of fees, fares and tolls may be given to any class of 
vehicle based upon volume of use. 
C.  The authority shall establish a system of commuter discounts based on a 
minimum of 32 trips per month per vehicle to provide passenger vehicles with a toll 
rate that is 50% of the passenger vehicle cash toll rate or equal to the passenger 
vehicle electronic toll rate, whichever is less. 
Sec. 3.  23 MRSA §1973, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6.  Toll facilities.  The authority shall operate 6 toll collection facilities at the 
following locations on the turnpike: 
A.  In the Town of York at mile 7.3, or its successor; 
B.  Upon exit from the turnpike at the Interstate 295 interchange in the City of 
Portland at mile 44.3, or its successor; 
C.  Upon exit from the turnpike at the Interstate 295 interchange in the Town of 
Falmouth at mile 51.6, or its successor; 
D.  In the Town of  New Gloucester at mile 67, or its successor; 
E.  In the Town of West Gardiner at mile 100.2, or its successor; and 
F.  At the Interstate 295 interchange in the City of Gardiner at mile 103, or its 
successor. 
Sec. 4.  Discontinuance of toll facilities.  The Maine Turnpike Authority shall 
discontinue the operation of all toll collection facilities except for those listed under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 1973, subsection 6.  This section does not apply 
to devices installed at entry and exit locations on the Maine Turnpike used for the 
purposes of calculating mileage for electronic tolling. 
Sec. 5.  Toll rates; electronic.  The Maine Turnpike Authority shall adopt an 
electronic toll rate for a passenger vehicle of 8¢ per mile and shall adjust the electronic 
toll rates for all other vehicle classes proportionally based on the passenger vehicle 
electronic toll rate.  The authority may adjust toll rates in this section if the authority is 
unable to meet its obligations under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 1973, 
subsection 3. 
Sec. 6.  Toll rates; cash.  The Maine Turnpike Authority shall adopt the following 
cash toll rates for passenger vehicles to take effect January 1, 2014:  $4 at the barrier toll 
facility in the Town of York at mile 7.3; $2 upon exit from the turnpike at the Interstate 
interchange in the City of Portland at mile 44.3; $2 upon exit from the turnpike at the 
Interstate 295 interchange in the Town of Falmouth at mile 51.6; $3 at the barrier toll 
facility in Town of New Gloucester at mile 67; $3 at the barrier toll facility in the Town 
of West Gardiner at mile 100.2; and $1 at the Interstate 295 interchange in the City of 
Gardiner at mile 103.  The cash toll rate for all other vehicle classes must be adjusted 
proportionally based on the passenger vehicle cash toll rates.  The authority may adjust 
toll rates in this section if the authority is unable to meet its obligations under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 1973, subsection 3.  If more toll revenue is required, 
the authority shall first increase cash toll rates at the barrier toll facility in York.  If less 
toll revenue is required, the authority shall first decrease toll rates at the barrier toll 
facilities in the Town of New Gloucester and the Town of West Gardiner. 
Sec. 7.  Effective date.  Those sections of this Act that amend the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 23, section 1973, sections 1 and 4 and enact Title 23, section 1973, 
subsection 6 take effect January 1, 2014. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Maine Turnpike Authority to discontinue all toll facilities on the 
Maine Turnpike except for 6 toll collection facilities at the following locations:  in the 
Town of York at mile 7.3; upon exit from the turnpike at the Interstate 295 interchange in 
the City of Portland at mile 44.3; upon exit from the turnpike at the Interstate 295 
interchange in the Town of Falmouth at mile 51.6; in the Town of New Gloucester at 
mile 67; in the Town of West Gardiner at mile 100.2; and at the Interstate 295 
interchange in the City of Gardiner at mile 103.  The bill directs the Maine Turnpike 
Authority to adopt major substantive rules, which are subject to review by the 
Legislature, governing toll rates on the Maine Turnpike.  The bill directs the Maine 
Turnpike Authority to adopt a toll schedule, but authorizes the authority to adjust toll 
rates if the authority is unable to meet certain obligations under current law.