Future capital planning projects approved by the Maine Turnpike Authority and decisions by future state legislatures and governors could push any conversion from a toll supported facility to a tax-supported highway further into the future. Subsequently, the state would likely need more federal and state tax revenue to continue capital improvements and maintenance to prevent the highway from falling into disrepair.Īll outstanding Maine Turnpike Authority bonds are scheduled to be paid off by 2042. First, by asking voters to approve a bond issue borrowing the money to pay off existing Turnpike debt rather than simply assuming it. That first would require the state to pay $380 million in outstanding Turnpike bonds.

If the state legislature prefers to turn the Turnpike over to MaineDOT and have tolls removed, the Turnpike would then be supported by taxes. New bonds have since been issued for financing safety improvements, upgrading and major reconstruction projects.Ĭould the road be turned over to the state? In 1982, once the initial bonds to build the Turnpike were paid, elected officials in the Maine Legislature passed a bill that the governor signed into law authorizing continuance of the Turnpike Authority and tolls to operate, maintain and rebuild the Turnpike. The bonds are sold to investors, many from Maine, and are secured by the projected toll revenues from the Pike.

The MTA sells bonds to finance construction projects. The legislature intentionally delegated the responsibility for turnpike construction, operations and maintenance to the Maine Turnpike Authority. In 1941, the Maine Turnpike Authority was created by the state legislature as an independent state agency and directed to construct and maintain a turnpike from Kittery to Fort Kent. Why is MTA separate from the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT)?

No federal or state tax dollars have ever been used on the Maine Turnpike. Tolls are the only source of revenue used by the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) to maintain and operate the Turnpike as well as pay back bondholders who loan private capital to finance safety improvements, and major reconstruction projects. Why are tolls charged for driving on the Maine Turnpike?

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