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Article IndexBridge and tunnel tolls rising up to $12, PATH fare goes to $2
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Beginning Sunday morning, New Jerseyans driving into New York City or riding the PATH train will face an increased toll or fare hike.
Drivers who pay in cash will see the toll has increased from $8 to $12 at the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and the three bridges connecting New Jersey to Staten Island.
PATH trains will see one-way fares rise by 25 cents to $2.
E-Zpass users face an increase of $1.50. The tolls will rise in phases until 2015, and by the final year of the increase, the price to cross a bridge or tunnel will be $12.50 for E-ZPass users during peak hours, up $4.50 from the current $8.
The average annual cost for New Jerseyans who use E-ZPass to commute to New York each weekday will be $2,232.50, up from $1,880 and rising to $2,937.50 as of December 2015.
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For New Jerseyans who pay cash, the toll increase will cost them an average $940 more for the first year. When the toll reaches $15 in December 2015, the average yearly cost will be $3,525, or $1,645 more than it is as of Friday.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey maintains the toll increases will help fund a 10-year, $25 billion capital plan. That plan includes $11 billion for redevelopment of the World Trade Center site, plus the cost of raising the Bayonne Bridge, replacing the Goethals and redoing the Pulaski Skyway.
Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved the toll increases.
The New York chapter of AAA and Bergen County Democratic legislators want the toll increases called off.
The AAA has asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to block the increases, arguing the action violates the federal Bridge Act because the Port Authority plans to use some of the money on projects unrelated to transportation.
Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said the toll increases will have an unfair impact on Bergen County commuters.
We must vote out the governors of both states and the legislature who approves this. We have the power to voted them out and send a message to the greedy liars who care nothing about the working families of NJ.
Last year the Port Authority paid $86 Million in Overtime to its employees. They could have hired a huge work force and spent a fraction of that. Port Authority is an example of a public good company that has no competition and no accountability! They pushed this toll increase with massive haste all while bombing local news outlets and marketing avenues with propaganda about creating jobs. Its another disgusting example of money mismanagement and the buck being passed to tax payers and commuters.