State Senator Steve Baddour, conducting a series of legislative transportation hearings, is calling for a reduction in the toll increases advocated by the Governor at the Mass Pike. The toll increases would raise $100 million dollars, a figure Baddour believes can be cut roughly in half. From the Boston Herald:

Baddour said a roughly $55 million dollar toll increase would be sufficient instead of the current $100 million hike, and the charge at the Allston and Weston booths and in the tunnels would be far less than the $2 and $7 currently proposed.

The Pike Director warned against such an approach, citing the possibility of bonding downgrades tripping the swaption penalties that could result in hundreds of millions of dollars of additional liability to the Pike.

Pike Executive Director Alan LeBovidge said a smaller increase might make Big Dig investors nervous and trigger a $423 million termination payment to UBS, one of the many lenders.

Baddour continued his joust with the Governor over the Administration’s delay in getting out a comprehensive transportation plan.

“If we don’t get this done by January or February, we might as well scrap it today,” Baddour said of Patrick’s comprehensive transportation plan. “Are we just spinning our wheels here?”

Massport also threw some cold water on the Governor’s plan to drop the Bid Dig debt onto them, with the head man calling for a comprehensive plan to be filed before any toll hikes take place. (Do I see the invisible hand of Senator Baddour here?) From the Herald:

Massport boss Tom Kinton told lawmakers yesterday he wants to hold off on a toll hike for Tobin Bridge drivers until the Legislature approves comprehensive transportation reforms.

Kinton also cast doubt on whether his agency has the financial muscle to take on the Pike’s debt just weeks before Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to officially file his transportation plan.

“If we don’t get it right, we’ll just have another Turnpike Authority sitting before this board in a year or two,” Kinton told lawmakers at a hearing yesterday to review Patrick’s plan to fold part of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority into Massport. “It’s complicated and it’s risky.”

The Governor’s transportation “plan” seems to be in a little bit of trouble even before it is filed. And that was duly noted by House Chair Joseph Wagoner:

“Your remarks sound like less than a ringing endorsement of the administration’s plan,” Rep. Joseph Wagner (D-Chicopee), co-chairman of the legislative transportation committee, told Kinton.

The Governor has a tough road in front of him on transportation that seems to be getting tougher by the day. And no matter what the specific outcome there will be some constituency blaming him for the result. He will need a bold stroke to undo some of the damage being done to him by this process.