Skip to main content
H 8181Roads & Highways

State Affairs and Government - The Rhode Island Bridge Replacement, Reconstruction, and Maintenance Fund - Exemptions from Tolling for Waste Management Vehicles

This bill exempts municipal waste trucks traveling to the central landfill from paying state bridge tolls, except on the Pell Bridge.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the Rhode Island Bridge Replacement, Reconstruction, and Maintenance Fund. It specifically creates an exemption from bridge tolls for large commercial trucks that are under contract with a Rhode Island municipality to transport solid waste. To qualify for this free passage, the trucks must be traveling to or from the central landfill facility and must be equipped with a specific device (like an RFID tag) to register the exemption. Notably, this exemption does not apply to the Pell Bridge in Newport, where tolls will still be collected.

For younger readers

This bill changes the rules about paying to drive across bridges. Right now, big trucks have to pay money, called a toll, to use bridges to help pay for repairs. This new rule says that garbage trucks working for a town do not have to pay the toll if they are taking trash to the main dump. However, they still have to pay if they cross the big bridge in Newport. The trucks will need a special tag so the sensors know they don't have to pay.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
MunicipalitiesWaste management contractorsBridge maintenance fundLocal taxpayersTruck drivers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Lowers operational costs for municipalities, potentially freeing up local budget funds for other essential social services or education.
  • Prevents the cost of bridge tolls from being passed down to residents in the form of higher local taxes or increased waste removal fees, assisting low-income households.
  • Supports the essential public service of sanitation and waste management by removing financial barriers for vehicles that maintain community health and hygiene.
  • Reduces revenue for the bridge maintenance fund, potentially delaying necessary infrastructure repairs and risking public safety on aging bridges.
  • Subsidizes the operation of large diesel trucks, which contributes to pollution and carbon emissions, rather than encouraging greener transportation alternatives.
  • Undermines the "user pays" principle where heavy vehicles, which cause the most structural damage to bridges, are expected to fund the repairs.
For Conservatives
  • Reduces the financial burden on private waste management businesses and municipalities by eliminating specific government-imposed fees.
  • Prevents state-level toll costs from being passed on to local taxpayers, thereby protecting residents from indirect tax increases.
  • Limits the reach of the state's tolling authority, preventing the government from extracting revenue from vehicles performing essential town functions.
  • Creates an unfair market advantage by granting government contractors special exemptions that other private commercial trucking companies do not receive.
  • Mandates the installation of tracking devices on vehicles to qualify for the exemption, increasing government surveillance and monitoring of movements.
  • Reduces user-fee revenue necessary for infrastructure, potentially leading to calls for broad tax increases to cover bridge maintenance deficits.

Votes

Loading votes...

Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 8 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Section 42-13.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-13.1 entitled "The Rhode Island Bridge Replacement, Reconstruction, and Maintenance Fund" is hereby amended to read as follows: 42-13.1-4. Authority to collect tolls on large commercial trucks only.

(a) The department is hereby authorized to fix, revise, charge, and collect tolls for the privilege of traveling on Rhode Island bridges to provide for replacement, reconstruction, maintenance, and operation of Rhode Island bridges. The tolls shall be fixed after conducting a cost-benefit analysis and providing an opportunity for public comment. The tolls shall be collected on large commercial trucks only and shall not be collected on any other vehicle; provided, however, no vehicle shall be tolled other than a tractor or truck tractor as defined in 23 C.F.R. 658.5, pulling a trailer or trailers. No act authorizing tolls on passenger vehicles pursuant to this chapter shall take effect until it has been approved by the majority of those electors voting in a statewide referendum. The secretary of state shall certify the results of the statewide referendum. Tolls on large commercial trucks may be implemented utilizing all-electric toll collection methodologies on a cash-less basis, or utilizing any other methodologies determined by the department.

(b) Subject to § 42-13.1-14, the department will establish a program to limit the assessment of the tolls upon the same individual large commercial truck using a RFID to once per toll facility, per day in each direction, or an equivalent frequency use program based upon individual large commercial truck use.

(c) Subject to § 42-13.1-14, the total amount of tolls imposed upon the same individual large commercial truck using a RFID for making a border-to-border through trip on Route 95 Connecticut to Route 95 Massachusetts, or the reverse, shall not exceed twenty dollars ($20.00).

(d) Subject to § 42-13.1-14, the daily maximum amount of the tolls collected upon the same individual large commercial truck using a RFID shall not exceed forty dollars ($40.00).

(e) All large commercial trucks or accessory trailers, operating on a contract with any municipality in the state, and engaged in the business of waste management as defined in § 23-19- 5, which is transporting solid waste to the central landfill facility, as defined in § 23-19-5, or returning from said facility to any other location, shall be exempt from any tolls established by this chapter except those tolls generated on the Pell Bridge in Newport. Said trucks shall be outfitted with a device similar to an RFID, exempting said trucks. (e)(f) Tolls shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any commission, board, bureau, agency, or official of the state or any municipality or other political subdivision of the state except the department.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.