It could soon cost an arm and a leg to drive in the Empire State.
Just one month after the gubernatorial election, Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration has begun the process to hike the tolls on the New York State Thruway and all state-run bridges. Hochul and her administration are receiving major backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike due to such high increases being proposed.
Tolls are already approved to increase this coming May of 2023. The latest round of proposals are for even more expensive increases from 2024 through 2027.
The first – and smaller – round of increases in May includes raising the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge’s EZ-Pass tolls to $1.65 and non EZ-Pass tolls to $2.15, both for regular cars with four wheels. Tractor trailer drivers will be forced to pay up to $24. These increases apply to multiple other locations, but are not system-wide.
The second round of increases will be much more drastic. If approved, the tolls will increase by 75% for drivers without EZ-Pass. A 10% increase is proposed for those with EZ-Pass, including 5% in 2024 and another 5% in 2027.
For those daring to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge, the rates will increase by 50 cents each year from 2024 through 2027. The Thruway Authority insisted this is a “modest” increase, which may be true compared to some of the other bridges.
The George Washington Bridge currently charges $16 for drivers paying cash. A 75% increase on this would result in each driver paying $27.20 to cross the bridge. Currently, a tractor trailer driver must pay $110 to cross. The new plan would increase their toll to a disgusting $193.
The Thruway Authority continuously avoided referencing a toll increase, instead repeatedly calling it a “toll adjustment.” They have approved the first step. Now, they must hold public hearings before making a final decision. The Board of Directors are appointed directly by the Governor.
Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll gushed that he and the rest of the Thruway Authority employees “work hard every day to hold the line on spending” and continue to provide drivers “with the safe and reliable highway they’ve come to expect.”
Democrat and Republican lawmakers are outraged over the proposed hikes.
“If they vote for this, they really ought to be ashamed of themselves,” declared Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a Democrat. “I see this has nothing more than a cash grab in the middle of some pretty tough times.”
“New Yorkers already have it tough this holiday season with the highest inflation in over 40 years causing higher prices for gas, home heating, groceries, computers, automobiles, lumber and just about every good and service,” observed Senator James Tedisco. “The last thing they need is a giant lump of coal under the Christmas tree in the form of higher Thruway tolls – especially for those who can least afford it, our middle-and-lower-income drivers.”
Tedisco, a Republican, has introduced bipartisan legislation to stop the free-for-all. His legislation would strip the Governor’s appointees of their power to increase the taxes and require legislative approval.
“Governor Hochul is trying to pull a fast one on New Yorkers,” Assemblyman Colin Schmitt insisted. “Instead of being open and honest with us, the Governor concealed her plan to raise tolls on the New York State Thruway and New York City’s bridges and tunnels and mass transit fares until after the election. Governor Hochul’s Toll Hike Trifecta will make it more expensive for New York commuters to get get to work, further stretching household budgets, and raising costs for small businesses which will also be passed along to customers.”
Schmitt, a Republican, added, “Before these toll and fare hikes can be allowed to proceed, the State Comptroller’s office must conduct a full audit of the Thruway Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to protect hardworking New Yorkers.”
Senator Robert Ortt, a Republican, explained, “Governor Hochul is throwing struggling New Yorkers right under the bus not even three weeks after she’s been reelected. This year-end surprise is cowardly and just plain wrong.”
Tedisco recalled, “New York State didn’t fulfill the original promise to eliminate Thruway tolls altogether. Now the state has a responsibility to taxpayers to keep tolls in check and at a reasonable level.”
