Major changes in the governance of the Maine Turnpike seem nearly certain after an audit of the organization’s books and continuing legislative hearings on its operations.

But unless Western Maine legislators and voters are vigilant, the changes could make a bad situation for L-A travelers even worse.

Among the ideas being bandied about in Augusta is folding turnpike operations into the Maine Department of Transportation.

MDOT oversight isn’t the problem. In fact, New Hampshire operates its turnpike this way.

But MDOT oversight would allow legislators to resume raiding turnpike toll money to fund projects elsewhere in the state.

The way we see it, Lewiston-Auburn residents are trapped in an interstate highway bottle.

Try using the turnpike for its intended purposes, to reach other urban areas to the north and south, and you immediately run into a hefty toll.

A trip to Portland quickly runs into a $1.75 toll at the New Gloucester barrier, while a trip north to Augusta eventually finds a $1.25 toll just south of that city.

On the other side of the state, commuters between the wealthier communities northeast of Portland travel unimpeded and toll-free between their homes and jobs on Interstate 295.

Commuters from Augusta north through Bangor to Houlton, meanwhile, use their segment of I-95 toll-free.

When the U.S. first embarked on its interstate highway system, tolls were a logical way to pay for the system’s initial construction.

The ultimate dream, however, was to have free-access interstates maintained by federal gas-tax revenue, hence the word “freeway.”

In 1963, legislators in Maine decided tolls should be eliminated, along with the Maine Turnpike Authority, when the original construction bonds were paid off.

A decade later, however, the state began instead using the turnpike as a cash machine to help fund other state road priorities.

Since financing a $34 billion MDOT bond in 1996, the turnpike has transferred no further money to the state.

And that’s the way it should remain.

Commuters in Western Maine already pay the same gas taxes as all other Mainers to support MDOT.

But, unlike much of the state, residents here pay again to drive on their only interstate option, the turnpike.

It would be patently unfair to raise tolls even more to fund projects for people who already have free interstate access, like I-295 and I-95 north of Augusta.

Legislators should recognize that we are at a crossroads and that Maine can fairly fund its highways in one of two ways:

• By removing all but the York toll and increasing the gas tax to make up the difference.

• Or by putting tolls on I-295 near Portland and Augusta, and tolls between Augusta and Bangor and between Bangor and Houlton.

While fairer than the current system, both of those ideas would face stiff political resistance.

At the very least, local lawmakers should push legislation to remove the New Gloucester toll plaza and limit all turnpike toll revenue to turnpike improvements.

Otherwise, L-A turnpike travelers will continue paying higher tolls and subsidizing MDOT projects in areas that have free interstate access.

rrhoades@sunjournal.com

The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and editorial board.