BOSTON -- Turnpike toll hikes are a done deal come the first of the year.

NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu reported that Newton residents are concerned that their already choked streets are about to see more drivers unwilling to shell out more.

Turnpike officials said that they expect the number of cars using the road and the tunnels to drop off once the new toll hike goes into effect.

At the Weston and Allston exits where there will be a 25-cent increase, they expect traffic going through the tolls to drop about 5 percent. At the tunnels where a 50-cent increase will go into effect, they predict a nearly 3 percent drop in business. So where do these cars go?

"They get on the Pike at West Newton, going into Boston. Coming out of Boston, they get on at Newton Corner. They get off at Newton Corner going into Boston because they can avoid the toll at Cambridge. And by doing that, they are clogging up the streets of Newton," Rep. Kay Khan said.

"Traffic is already bad. It's a dangerous intersection as it is. Cars coming around from Watertown and Newton Corner. It's all sort of merging right here. So people who get off here to save a couple of bucks, it's going to be even more dangerous," said Jonathan Banz.

Local businesses said that they are dreading the fallout.

"People get frustrated. Instead of wanting to stop and buy flowers, they're too frustrated at that point, so they don't bother to stop and keep going," said Anne Cail, of Gleasons Flowers.

Khan, whose district includes exits 16 and 17, opposes the toll hike, but there's not much she can do -- except join the crowd.

"I live near the Weston entrance, but I often go to West Newton because I save a bit of money. I'll probably go to West Newton more often now," Khan said.