Hudson River crossing toll hikes in our future?
Reports out of New Jersey are that officials at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey are considering raising tolls at the Hudson River crossings by $2 — and are discussing whether or not to eliminate the $1 E-ZPass discount.
All of which means that future trips across the George Washington Bridge — or through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels — could cost $8, instead of $6.
The goal is to raise about $300 million a year for construction projects.
Now, we don’t have a problem with officials raising tolls in order to raise construction funds in order to improve infrastructure in order to improve our commutes. That all seems fair. However, it seems unreasonable to institute toll hikes when delays at the bridge and tunnels are often more than a half-hour — and, sometimes, more than an hour — and when there is no relief in sight.
The proposal would have to be approved by Gov. Jon Corzine and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. We think that, before that happens, officials need to mandate that the fund is dedicated for construction and maintenance of the bridges and tunnels and ensure that the E-ZPass discounts remain in place. The future of our infrastructure in at stake. And, without these guarantees, that future remains in jeopardy.
