MTA Bridge & Tunnel Tolls Increase, Out-of-State Motorists Hit Hardest

Edited by: TJVNews.com

As the clock struck midnight on Sunday, tolls for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bridges and tunnels saw an increase, with percentages that surpass those planned for subway and bus fares, as was reported by The New York Daily News.  This news has sparked concern among motorists and particularly among out-of-state drivers who will be facing higher rates.

For E-ZPass users on major crossings, which include well-known bridges like the Verrazzano, Whitestone, Throgs Neck, and RFK/Triborough, as well as the Queens Midtown and Hugh L. Carey Brooklyn Battery tunnels, tolls will rise by approximately 6%, as was reported by the Daily News. The current charge of $6.55 will be increased to $6.94. For those who receive tolls by mail, the hike will be even more significant, with a 10% increase from $10.17 to $11.19.

Motorists using E-ZPass tags not registered with E-ZPass New York but from other states will also be affected, as they will be subject to the higher toll-by-mail rates. According to the Daily News report, this has been criticized as an unfair practice by the driver advocacy group, AAA. John Corlett, the Vice President of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast, described the tolling plan as “unfair and egregious” in a letter to the MTA’s bridge and tunnel department. He argued that this practice takes advantage of unsuspecting out-of-state drivers and contradicts federal efforts to promote the interoperability of electronic toll collection systems.

The toll increases extend beyond major crossings to other MTA bridges as well. For example, the Daily News reported that the Henry Hudson Bridge will see a 6% increase in E-ZPass tolls, raising them to $3.18. Toll by mail will increase by 10%, reaching $8.25, and the intermediate toll will rise by 9% to $5.04. Similarly, the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway bridges will experience a boost of about 6% for E-ZPass tolls, making them $2.60, the Daily News report said. Toll by mail will be $5.60, a 10% increase, while the intermediate toll will drop by 19% to $4.11.

Comparatively, subway and bus riders will face a 5.5% fare increase later in August when the NYC Transit raises its base fare to $2.90 from $2.75. However, toll increases will exceed this percentage for many drivers, adding to the financial burden for those who rely on the MTA’s bridges and tunnels, as was indicated in the Daily News report.

The MTA implemented these toll hikes as part of their toll and fare hike plan passed last month, aimed at supplementing the transit authority’s operating budget, the Daily News report noted. The agency aims to raise fare box revenue by 4% and revenue from tolls by 5.5%. The tolls were last raised in 2021.

To ease the impact of fare increases for subway and bus riders, the state has set aside a $65 million earmark to offset a portion of the planned fare hike. Unfortunately, no such relief has been provided for motorists using MTA bridges and tunnels, especially those from out-of-state who will face the higher toll-by-mail rates, the report added.

While the MTA argues that residents of any state can register for an E-ZPass tag with New York, critics contend that this is not a practical solution for all drivers, especially those from neighboring states who may use the crossings infrequently.

As the new toll rates come into effect, the focus will shift to the implications on commuters, businesses, and transportation policies in the region.