According to this story in today's Globe, the relatively new u-turn ramp in Allston that allows Mass Pike drivers heading west to reverse direction and drive into downtown "has averaged barely 70 authorized daily users". But this story from last November reported that, when the ramp was restricted to commercial vehicles police "wrote 986 citations there Oct. 16-26". These numbers don't add up. If almost 100 people a day were using the ramp illegally, how could the total use be 70 vehicles?
The larger point of the story remains valid - this $1.6 million dollar project so far seems to be far from the "significant asset for our tourism and visitor industry" carrying 1,500 vehicles a day that the business community predicted.
With major transportation problems here in A/B, the "need to study at least twice to spend wisely once" and try to understand why previous estimate have been right or wrong are ideas to remember.
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I hate that thing, they gave me a citation too and I'm now fighting it. You used to be able to turn around without going through the toll and for free, now they just use that lane to ticket people. It takes a picture of your car as you go through. Bastards!
ReplyDeleteI found out the hard way today, too! What is up with that? Is it legal to provide a U turn that isn't legal to use???
ReplyDeleteThere's the sign one mile before the toll that says the U-turn is there with no restrictions listed. Just before the toll there's the U-turn on the left with no restrictions listed. Not even a no u-turn sign.
ReplyDeleteI was prepared to pay the toll despite the fact that my getting on the turnpike west was a mistake. I was plesantly surprised to see the U-turn option without restrictions. I was not plesant after I got the ticket
Ticket? Entrapment. They'll be getting more than an appeal from me.
I experienced the same thing as Anonymous March 2, 2010 posting. I am definitely
ReplyDeleteappealing this.
your looking for a place to park. a cop waves you on to a parking area . you park to the place he has pointed to . as you get out of the car the cop moves away from the front of a sign that is now revealed. it reads no parking . he then hands you a ticket for illegally parking. can anybody tell me the difference between that scenario and getting fined for alleged illegal u turn [or whatever the hell it is]near that toll booth ? this goes beyond entrapment. this is pure unadulterated fraud and should be looked at as a criminal offense perpetrated by the mass. turnpike authority
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous, the way they did this U turn is to trap people. This should be illegal.
ReplyDeleteEverybody who got fine by Mass turnpike authority should fight in court and get your money back.
There is no sign saying that U turn is not for everybody, since the sign it is not specify, we should be allowed not to pay this crap.
There are no Exits from Downtown Boston until the Allston/Brighton toll...that U-turn is the only alternative for drivers. someone needs to get fired!!!
ReplyDeletereceived my citation in the mail today for this??????????? Has anyone won an appeal?
ReplyDeleteI'm from out of state and when I realized that I was going west instead of east, I was relieved to see the U-turn. How nice! How convenient! What great planning! I took the U-turn back to Boston and never saw anything about its being illegal or that I'd have to go through a toll. This is reprehensible. When I received the citation in the mail I thought I'd pay it to save time and trouble. After thinking about it, though, I've decided to come back from out of state and appeal this. I'd like to know what creep came up with this. Welcome to Massachusetts!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I received the citation EIGHT MONTHS after the alleged infraction. Is this because there are so many citations going out to unsuspecting motorists that they have a huge backlog? C'mon, guys, let's all appeal. This is just plain WRONG.
I don't know when you posted your comment, because this website only shows the time of day it was poster, but I am with you. I am also from out of state and just received the pl99 uturn citation 11 months after the "violation" date. I know for sure that i didnt make any illegal u-turns or skip tolls. They also dont even specify exactly what I did wrong.
DeleteI just now received a citation for a pl99 U-turn. Mind you it was 7 months after being in Boston. I know without a doubt that I did not turn around in any area marked that it was restricted to certain vehicles. The only time I turned around which I have to assume is what this is for is when I got off the hwy just prior to a toll booth when I realized I was going the wrong way. There were no signs stating that it was for certain vehicles. This is a shame on the State of Massachussets!! How do you not properly place signage and then fine out of state travelers for not knowing that a exit is not for public usage. This is ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteI just received the same violation for months after i went to Boston. I paid because i do not have the free time to go to Boston for court. I am not happy that massdot seems to think this is ok.
ReplyDelete