WNED: Rally Planned Against Thruway Tolls (2007-11-24)
Chris Caya

NIAGARA FALLS (2007-11-21) The effort to remove the tolls booths on the Grand Island Bridges is picking up speed.

Rus Thompson, founder of nogitolls.com, says his group has formed a coalition with Buffalo developer Carl Paladino and “LaSalle PRIDE,” a Niagara Falls neighborhood organization.

Thompson says so far they’ve collected about 7,500 signatures from people supporting the toll removal.

“We’re tired of the tolls. The toll barriers on Grand Island are a detriment to the economy of this area,” Thompson said.

The Coalition is also opposed to the Thruway’s Authority’s plan to increase tolls statewide.

The Thruway Authority claims the planned toll hikes are needed to maintain the highway and to make-up for a decline in the number of people using the highway.

Meanwhile, a rally against the tolls will be held this Saturday in Niagara Falls. It gets underway at 11:00 a.m. at the base of the North Grand Island Bridge at Buffalo Avenue and 63rd Street.

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