east river bridges

The Democratic Majority leader in the New York state Senate Pedro Espada is pushing for $2/vehicle tolls on the four presently tax-supported East River bridges - the venerable Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro bridges. Three other crossings are already tolled - the Triboro bridge, Queens-Midtown Tunnel and Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. (see map nearby)

As widely leaked the Governor's commission to find new revenues for the New York area transit system is recommending tolls on all the presently untolled crossings to Manhattan. These are four big bridges over the East River to Brooklyn and Queens, and nine smaller bridges along the Harlem River providing connections with Bronx borough and Westchester county (see map nearby).

The New York Times reports that the Ravitch Commission will propose tolls on the currently free East River and Harlem River bridges to raise a net $600m/year to help cover the growing losses of the New York area rail and bus system of the NYMTA (New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority). The Ravitch Commission was appointed by the state governor David Paterson to advise on how to fund a burgeoning deficit in city transit.

New tolls in New York City are in play again, this time to raise money to support the MTA's subways and buses. Governor Paterson is due to get the report of a Commission on MTA Financing headed by transit veteran Richard Ravitch December 5, and it considered likely to recommend heavy reliance on new tolls raise extra revenue. (Artwork by Bascove)