By Eileen Buckley
Grand Island, NY – Western New Yorkers continue to respond to a petition that calls for an end to Grand Island tolls. A couple of weeks ago we told you about a petition that is being circulated by a local citizen calling for the removal of the Grand Island Tolls.
Shortly after the 190-tolls ended in the City of Buffalo, a local construction contractor crafted a new petition to stop the Grand Island Tolls at the 190.
Rus Thompson says as of last week, he already collected more than two thousand on-line and hand written signatures. Thompson says responses are coming from all over the region. Thompson says commuter traffic becomes intense at the bridges, often causing back ups at the 290 as motorists wait in line to pay tolls.
Thompson says Albany leadership could build another bridge to Grand Island or expand or widen the current bridges, but that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. He says the best option is to or remove the tolls.
After years of fighting by citizens, lawmakers and business leaders, the state agreed to end the tolls last month at two barriers along the 190 in Buffalo. Thompson says he has support from Senators Dale Volker and George Maziarz.
But Thompson says Governor Pataki told Volker he would not remove the Grand Island tolls because he doesn't believe there has been public outcry. That is why Thompson has organized this petition drive.
Thompson says he wants to prove the Governor wrong. To learn more about the effort to remove the Grand Island tolls can go on line to www.nogitolls.com.
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