I thank Maine Turnpike Executive Director Peter Mills for his eloquent words opposing toll relief for Lewiston-Auburn (letter, April 23).

I could explain round trips from L-A to Portland cost $5.50, $2 from Biddeford and nothing from Brunswick, yet all three communities are roughly equidistant.

I could explain that of the 10 largest cities in Maine, only two lack a free, four-lane highway — Lewiston and Auburn. When expanded to the top 30, one is added: Lisbon.

Instead I will use his words: “If Mendros and others want to ‘Tear Down These Tolls,’ muster the courage to raise the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon. That is what it would take to stop tolling Maine’s busiest highway.”

Maine has more than 23,000 miles of road, all funded by a 30 cent gas tax. The Maine Turnpike is slightly more than 100 miles in length but costs 33 percent as much as all the other roads in Maine combined.

It’s nicely maintained, but is it 75 times better than the other roads in Maine? Again, based on their own defense, the Turnpike costs 75 times more per mile to maintain than the other roads in Maine.

Is the Turnpike 75 times better than Route 95 north of Augusta, or Route 295?

The rest of the state gets to buy a $1 burger, but people in L-A are forced to buy a “premium” burger for $75, whether we want it or not. And we’re expected to be thankful.

I’ll gladly put aside the rhetoric and deal in painful facts.

Stavros Mendros, Lewiston

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