Tolls East coast- what do we need

[mpeirce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantlogin Just for fun, I once asked my old Garmin GPS to avoid tolls on a trip from Pennsylvania to Manhattan, NY. It took a long time to calculate the route, and I'm not sure how successful it was in minimizing the tolls, but it did give me a route that was several thousand miles and included Nova Scotia.

Yeah, some tolls are pretty much impossible to avoid.

I was up in the U.P. just north of the Mackinac bridge and when I asked Apple Maps to take me home it routed me AROUND Lake Michigan. It might have been fun to drive through Wisconsin and visit Chicago and burn the extra 6 hours, but I wasn't really in the mood...

So yes, so many bridges have tolls because they are really hard to avoid sometimes!

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaudrey I would definitely just buy an EZ pass in VA at the first place you can. You will be amazed at how long the cash lines are at the various tolls.

Not only true, but it's getting worse.
Just returned from a trip to New England and back, and I was astounded at the congestion at some of the toll plazas. The worst was the New York Thruway at the Pennsylvania state line. I estimated I saved a minimum ten minute wait there because of my EZ pass, despite the fact there were probably half a dozen cash lanes operating. Other places were nearly as bad.

[mpeirce]

huh, looks like no EZ Pass (or Sun Pass) for the Mackinac bridge.

[brucethebroker]

I guess I am in the minority, but I hate anything "added on" by the rental company.

Just returned from a trip to Acadia Park in ME. Flew into Portland and there was one toll booth along the way to the park-$1, so total of $2 both ways with very small line to wait. DW and I remarked how cheap that was. That night there was a local news item about how much money comes into the state from tolls. Reporter said over 65% of that income is from tourists-"out of state money keeping our taxes low." She then "interviewed" a lady in a lobster costume for her opinion. Too funny.