Hassan: 'I Don't Think Toll Increases Are A Good Idea'

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan criticized Republican opponent Ovide Lamontagne on Friday for suggesting a delay in the Interstate 93 widening project.

In a conference call Friday, Hassan said the I-93 project "has taken long enough already and we need to get it done and need to get it done as soon as possible." She said Lamontagne said during Thursday's debate in Nashua that he would further delay the I-93 project.

Lamontagne campaign spokesman Tom Cronin called Hassan's claim that Lamontagne said he would delay the I-93 project "another myth from the Hassan campaign.

"Ovide strongly supports the timely and on budget completion of the I-93 project," Cronin added. "He recognizes I-93 is the gateway not just to Southern New Hampshire but to the state as a whole, and that completing this project will help to improve the state's business climate from Salem to Stewartstown."

Hassan also said Friday that she does not support hiking tolls, as Department of Transportation Commissioner Christopher Clement talked about doing last winter.

"I don't think toll increases are a good idea," Hassan said, while stressing the importance of coming up with a way to fund critical transportation projects like the I-93 widening.