By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – First it was the tolls along the I-190 in Buffalo. But now there is a push to get the tolls removed in Grand Island.
A petition to remove the Grand Island Tolls is being circulated by a local citizen. Rus Thompson has crafted a petition that calls on Governor Pataki as well as Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer to remove the tolls at the Grand Island Bridges along the 190.
At the end of last month, tolls were removed at two barriers along the 190 in the city of Buffalo. Thompson's petition explains to the top leadership in Albany that it is apparent people in Western New York are fed up with paying tolls. He says commuter traffic becomes intense and backs up to the 290 waiting in line to pay tolls.
Thompson says Albany leadership has three options -- build another bridge to Grand Island, expand or widen the current bridges or remove the tolls to allow a free flow of traffic.
Thompson says he will be calling on businesses in and around Grand Island asking them to post the petition.