Thruway board moves closer to toll hike
By John Milgrim
Ottaway News Service
jmottaway@aol.com
Albany – Thruway tolls would go up a minimum 25 percent next spring under a new capital improvement plan the highway's governing board endorsed yesterday.
If approved by the Thruway board – a vote is set for April – the toll hike, which would go into effect May 1 at the earliest, would be the first for the highway in 17 years. Thruway officials said it's needed to keep the road in good condition and pay for $2 billion worth of projects during the next six years.
The authority will hold public hearings on the matter early next year.
Commercial vehicles would be subject to an even steeper toll hike – a minimum of 35 percent.
Some say that's too much of an increase all at once.
"It was not an easy decision but there really was no option at this point to ensure the road stays in good condition and still functions for the people of the state," said Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer.
Proceeds from the higher tolls would pay for projects such as a $102 million reconstruction of the Route 17 intersection with the Thruway, which would allow traffic to flow from one highway to the other without reducing speed. There is also a $35.7 million plan to finish the connection at Newburgh with Interstate 84 and about $145 million to make repairs on the Tappan Zee Bridge.
However, the six-year capital plan does not include funds to deal with expected traffic increases if the proposed Catskill casinos come about, or a replacement of the Tappan Zee, which be a multibillion-dollar project.
Drivers paying cash would get hit the hardest. For example, the cash toll for a passenger car going from Newburgh to the New York City line would jump from $4.45 to $5.90 – an increase of about 33 percent. And a proposed 10 percent hike for cash-paying customers in 2008 would raise the cost to $6.80.
But drivers using E-ZPass electronic toll tags would get a 10 percent discount on next year's proposed toll increase and would be eligible for other commuter discounts.
Other proposed projects over the next few years include installing additional E-ZPass toll lanes. Proposed lanes at Newburgh would allow vehicles to pass through toll plazas at up to 35 mph, and in select areas, such as Woodbury, E-ZPass holders wouldn't have to slow down at all.
Bill Joyce, president of the New York State Motor Truck Association, said the toll hike, added to increased fuel and insurance costs, could wipe out profits. The industry would have preferred incremental toll increases, he said.
It now costs $3.60 in tolls for an 18-wheel tractor-trailer to travel from Newburgh to Suffern. The cost for that 18-wheeler would go up to $5.85 for that same trip under the proposed hike.
The new tolls would generate $551 million for the Thruway next year and $608 million in 2006.
The state Thruway Authority, which is controlled by Gov. George Pataki, last floated a toll hike in 2000, but quickly withdrew it because of opposition.
Thruway tolls were supposed to be removed in 1996 when the original construction costs were paid off, but legislation in the 1980s allowed the authority to continue to avoid tapping into general taxes to cover maintenance costs.
The last toll hike was in 1988.
The proposal does not require the approval of Pataki or the Legislature, but the authority will file reports with Pataki's office, state Comptroller Alan Hevesi and legislative leaders.
Wednesday, Pataki said that while he in general doesn't support raising tolls, "there are times when that simply doesn't meet with the hard fiscal realities that an entity faces."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Taking its toll
Here are the proposed Thruway toll hikes for passenger cars:
New Paltz to Newburgh
Cash
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 65 cents
2008: 70 cents
E-ZPass
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 59 cents
2008: 59 cents
Newburgh to Suffern
Cash
Current: 95 cents
Spring 2005: $1.15
2008: $1.30
E-ZPass
Current: 95 cents
Spring 2005: $1.04
2008: $1.04
Tappan Zee Bridge (toll collected southbound only)
Cash
Current: $3
Spring 2005: $4
2008: $4.50
E-ZPass
Current: $3
Spring 2005: $3.60
2008: $3.60
Vehicles with commuter plans will see the bridge toll increase to $2 in the spring from $1 now.
Harriman (on Route 17 where it intersects the Thruway) and Yonkers toll plazas
Cash
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 75 cents
2008: $1
E-ZPass
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 68 cents
2008: 68 cents
Vehicles with E-ZPass commuter plans will continue paying 50 cents at the Harriman and Yonkers toll plazas.
Source: New York State Thruway Authority
By John Milgrim
Ottaway News Service
jmottaway@aol.com
Albany – Thruway tolls would go up a minimum 25 percent next spring under a new capital improvement plan the highway's governing board endorsed yesterday.
If approved by the Thruway board – a vote is set for April – the toll hike, which would go into effect May 1 at the earliest, would be the first for the highway in 17 years. Thruway officials said it's needed to keep the road in good condition and pay for $2 billion worth of projects during the next six years.
The authority will hold public hearings on the matter early next year.
Commercial vehicles would be subject to an even steeper toll hike – a minimum of 35 percent.
Some say that's too much of an increase all at once.
"It was not an easy decision but there really was no option at this point to ensure the road stays in good condition and still functions for the people of the state," said Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer.
Proceeds from the higher tolls would pay for projects such as a $102 million reconstruction of the Route 17 intersection with the Thruway, which would allow traffic to flow from one highway to the other without reducing speed. There is also a $35.7 million plan to finish the connection at Newburgh with Interstate 84 and about $145 million to make repairs on the Tappan Zee Bridge.
However, the six-year capital plan does not include funds to deal with expected traffic increases if the proposed Catskill casinos come about, or a replacement of the Tappan Zee, which be a multibillion-dollar project.
Drivers paying cash would get hit the hardest. For example, the cash toll for a passenger car going from Newburgh to the New York City line would jump from $4.45 to $5.90 – an increase of about 33 percent. And a proposed 10 percent hike for cash-paying customers in 2008 would raise the cost to $6.80.
But drivers using E-ZPass electronic toll tags would get a 10 percent discount on next year's proposed toll increase and would be eligible for other commuter discounts.
Other proposed projects over the next few years include installing additional E-ZPass toll lanes. Proposed lanes at Newburgh would allow vehicles to pass through toll plazas at up to 35 mph, and in select areas, such as Woodbury, E-ZPass holders wouldn't have to slow down at all.
Bill Joyce, president of the New York State Motor Truck Association, said the toll hike, added to increased fuel and insurance costs, could wipe out profits. The industry would have preferred incremental toll increases, he said.
It now costs $3.60 in tolls for an 18-wheel tractor-trailer to travel from Newburgh to Suffern. The cost for that 18-wheeler would go up to $5.85 for that same trip under the proposed hike.
The new tolls would generate $551 million for the Thruway next year and $608 million in 2006.
The state Thruway Authority, which is controlled by Gov. George Pataki, last floated a toll hike in 2000, but quickly withdrew it because of opposition.
Thruway tolls were supposed to be removed in 1996 when the original construction costs were paid off, but legislation in the 1980s allowed the authority to continue to avoid tapping into general taxes to cover maintenance costs.
The last toll hike was in 1988.
The proposal does not require the approval of Pataki or the Legislature, but the authority will file reports with Pataki's office, state Comptroller Alan Hevesi and legislative leaders.
Wednesday, Pataki said that while he in general doesn't support raising tolls, "there are times when that simply doesn't meet with the hard fiscal realities that an entity faces."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Taking its toll
Here are the proposed Thruway toll hikes for passenger cars:
New Paltz to Newburgh
Cash
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 65 cents
2008: 70 cents
E-ZPass
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 59 cents
2008: 59 cents
Newburgh to Suffern
Cash
Current: 95 cents
Spring 2005: $1.15
2008: $1.30
E-ZPass
Current: 95 cents
Spring 2005: $1.04
2008: $1.04
Tappan Zee Bridge (toll collected southbound only)
Cash
Current: $3
Spring 2005: $4
2008: $4.50
E-ZPass
Current: $3
Spring 2005: $3.60
2008: $3.60
Vehicles with commuter plans will see the bridge toll increase to $2 in the spring from $1 now.
Harriman (on Route 17 where it intersects the Thruway) and Yonkers toll plazas
Cash
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 75 cents
2008: $1
E-ZPass
Current: 50 cents
Spring 2005: 68 cents
2008: 68 cents
Vehicles with E-ZPass commuter plans will continue paying 50 cents at the Harriman and Yonkers toll plazas.
Source: New York State Thruway Authority
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2004/12/17/thruway0.htm