toll increase

New York City tunnel and bridge tolls, along with transit fares will rise 10% July 12 2009, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority board decided this week. But out of state E-ZPass customers will lose their transponder discount and face a steeper increase in their costs. Fares and tolls last rose March 16 2008.

With a July 1 deadline for due bond payment of $11m looming, and insufficient cash to pay it the West Virginia state toll authority is finally moving to raise toll rates to avert a default. A 60% increase in cash toll rates is being proposed, mitigated by a 25% discount for West Virginia E-ZPass transponder customers. For WV E-ZPass users the increases will be 20% after the new 25% discount.

Orlando Orange County (Toll) Expressway Authority's board of directors voted unanimously this week to confirm toll increases provisionally voted at the February meeting. The toll hike occurs amid a storm of controversy in the interim after revelation of abuses by Allan Keen, a former chairman, and the use of major OOCEA consultant/contractor PBS&J to hit on vendors for political campaign contributions for Republican candidates 2003 to 2006.

The most common toll on Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority facilities in New York City, the E-ZPass transponder toll for cars will rise by 23.7% from $4.15 to $5.26 in July after a 12/1 vote of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) board today. The toll hikes were part of a crisis package of higher charges and service cuts designed to close a looming $1.2b deficit in a $11b New York area public transportation budget.

Ohio Turnpike Commission's board have approved a schedule of new toll rates and vehicle classes to coincide with their introduction of E-ZPass electronic tolling due for the final quarter of 2009. Approved at the same Commission hearing is a second round of toll increases 24 to 27 months later - on Jan 1, 2012.

Tolls are going up on Orlando tollroads by about a third April 5, the first toll increase since mid-1990. Most of the toll increases are of 25c - most mainline plazas presently 75c go to $1.00. Mainline plazas with higher toll rates also rise mostly by 25c. many ramp tolls go from 25c to 50c but quite a number don't rise.

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board of directors today voted for two toll increases (March 29 and July 1) the second of which they say will be reversed if the legislature supports the Governor's proposed 19c gas tax hike or otherwise votes substitute funds.

The Boston dither goes on, and on, while the Mass Pike slips ever closer to the precipice. Thursday (Jan 22) the Turnpike board decided to put off a decision on whether to proceed with the toll increases it had voted Nov 14, despite a strong pitch for the extra $100m from executive director Alan LeBovidge, who showed dramatic pictures of crumbing concretework, exposed rebar, deep potholes, and rusted-through structural steel (see nearby).

South Bay Expressway (CA125) east of San Diego California is increasing FasTrak transponder tolls for cars by roughly 10% but increasing cash tolls by 20% or more. Tolls for cars to go the 16km (10 mile) length of the tollroad from State Route 54 (CA54) to Otay Mesa Rd go from $3.50 to $3.85 with a FasTrak transponder but from $3.75 to $4.50 for cash.  Those are tolls of about 39c/mile with a  transponder and 49c/mile by cash.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in a talk radio interview this morning "yeah, it's possible" to a question about whether toll increases can be avoided. The Governor on WTKK 96.9FM a Boston talk station began saying toll increases were necessary although he hated them and wished they weren't necessary.