toll hikes

Maryland officials say recovery in traffic at the state's existing toll facilities will be very slow and longer-term growth prospects must be revised downwards too. They say increasing costs dominated by debt service expense will likely call for major hikes in tolls - from about $2.60 now to $3.60 in 2012 and to $4.50 in 2014 (average statewide toll on existing facilities).

407ETR are raising tolls differentially to boost revenues and to manage congestion. Toll changes announced today and effective Feb 1 2010 see an increase in the main peak hours premium from 10.3% to 16.3% over off-peak.

Economists call it elasticity of demand, the response of customers to higher prices.

Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) is focusing proposed toll increases on out-of-staters, with the possibility of legal troubles from class action suits claiming infringement of the US constitution. This in the context of proposing slightly different ways it can gain a needed 23% increase in revenues or $20m/year extra.

Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) has approved strong toll increases to go into effect next month and in Sept 2010, and cost-of-living or inflation increases on a two-yearly basis thereafter. The board of directors approved the strong toll plan unanimously this morning, despite some public criticism.

The 2008 increase is 33% and the 2010 increase is 25%.

A leading New Jersey legislator Senator Ray Lesniak says he's pushing a plan to boost toll revenues in the state to support what he calls "absolutely necessary" transport improvements. The plan involves two 50% hikes in tolls, one immediately and the other in five years time.

Tolls on the Richmond Metropolitan Authority's (RMA) Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway will go up from 50c to 70c Sept 8, the board voted today. It was the first toll increase for ten years. The board was heavily divided and the vote went only 7 to 6 for the raise.

The toll hike at the two mainline toll plazas with proportional increases at the Boulevard Bridge and ramps should increase full year RMA toll revenue from $26m to $36m/year.

Governor Corzine has acknowledged he isn't getting political support for his big tollroads monetization plan that he put out early this year. And his supporters are saying only a much scaled down version of the plan is possible together with abandonment of the elaborate set of political cutouts Corzine proposed to limit backsliding - what some have characterized as a Rube Goldberg legal contraption.