To the editor:
Can you believe the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s plan to drastically increase the bridges and tunnels tolls by taking the car tolls from $15 to $20 and almost doubling the bus tolls? The authority would like to become a single source of increasing inflation in our region because this increase in buses and trucks tolls will result in all companies increasing their prices of goods and services.
Another part of the plan that may not have caught the public’s attention is the increase in traffic congestion and resulting air pollution because the Port Authority wants to cancel the carpooling discount (three or more people carpooling in an automobile, the driver pays approximately half the regular toll). If they take away the incentive to carpool, there would be a lot more cars at the crossings every day, making the traffic jams much worse for everyone when going to or coming from New York.
With thousands of automobiles affected, one would like to know which commissioners or directors of the Port Authority were responsible for this idea about canceling the carpool discount in this day and age of increasing air pollution and climate disasters.
Bus tolls should be decreased—and not increased—to promote public transit and reduce the number of cars during rush hours. Trucks should be offered more discounts at the crossings during non-rush hours.
Another part of this plan is to not allow E-ZPass discounts to out-of-state drivers. They are following what Maryland E-ZPass or some other state is doing of not giving discounts to out-of-state drivers. It is like saying “If you take away the discount from our E-ZPass holders, we are going to cancel E-ZPass discounts to your members.” In other words, if you fleece our members, we will overcharge your members. This was not what was promised to drivers when the E-ZPass toll system was introduced to the taxpayers as a way of saving money to the authorities as well as the drivers.
This plan seems to hit New Jerseyans going to New York, but it hits all drivers going to New York City. It also hits New Yorkers when they return home after visiting New Jersey, Pennsylvania or anywhere south or the midwest.
There is still time to submit public comments about the proposals on Port Authority’s websites but one thing that will really help us would be to ask the two state governors to intervene.
Send a message to the governor on his website or call his office and request to look into this matter that the PA wants to increase the toll by $5 for cars automatically in five years without public review and almost double it for buses.
The two governors should set up a committee to see if the PA is capable of using the taxpayers’ money wisely, considering its recent over-budget and behind schedule projects. The Port Authority’s commissioners have proven to be a failure in keeping the various project expenses under check over the years and keeping the taxpayers’ interest in the forefront. There is still time for you to act.