On Saturday, the Rhode Island Trucking Association responded to Friday’s decision by the First Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the state’s controversial “truck tolls.”

Chris Maxwell, CEO of the Rhode Island Trucking Association, released the following.

The First Circuit confirmed that the RhodeWorks caps spared the Rhode Island trucking industry, and the Rhode Island residents they serve, from the full burden of the tolls. Suppose Gov. McKee and the General Assembly are considering reactivating the tolls without those protective caps. In that case, they first need to consider whether they are willing to break the promise that was made to the local business community as a condition of passage of the legislation, and be candid with Rhode Island residents that these increased costs will be reflected in the price of goods, nearly all of which reach them by truck.

As was the case nearly a decade ago when the truck-only tolling program was first introduced, the Rhode Island Trucking Association remains open and committed to working with state leadership to find a more sustainable and equitable infrastructure funding solution that does not so egregiously impact our local businesses and consumers.

From Rhode Island Current.

A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ruled caps on tolls for local traffic were unconstitutional, but that the overall system created under the state’s RhodeWorks program could remain in place.

Read the full article at the Rhode Island Current website.