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November 14, 2006 2:00 PM, EST

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plan to abolish tolls on the Massachusetts turnpike west of Route 128 could add $1 billion to the state’s existing $16 billion transportation funding shortfall, the Boston Globe reported Tuesday, citing a new study.

The report was commissioned by the state’s Transportation Finance Commission, which is slated to vote Wednesday on whether to lift the tolls, the Globe said.

If the commission elects to lift the tolls, the change would go into effect June 30.

The Globe quoted Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) as saying that the study did not take into account $40 million in annual savings that would result from laying off toll collectors and dismantling tolling operations.

Stephen Silveira, who Romney appointed to head the group that conducted the study, said the report does include the $40 million benefit.

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority authorized the removal of Turnpike tolls west of Route 128 in mid-October. (Click here for previous coverage.)