STATEWIDE — The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey this morning approved a revised toll and PATH fare hike plan recommended by governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo.
The governors’ proposal sets lower and staggered increases than the hikes initially proposed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey two weeks ago.
In a joint letter dated August 18 addressed to the board’s chairman and vice chairman, Christie and Cuomo request that tolls and PATH fares be raised accordingly:
The current $1.75 one-way PATH fare will increase by 25 cents for each of the next four years. This means that by 2014 a one-way PATH fare would be 2.75. The Port Authority had originally proposed that PATH fares immediately jump to $2.75 beginning next month.
Cars that use EZ Pass tags will see a toll increase of $1.50 next month at bridges and tunnels. EZ Pass fees for cars will increase by 75 cents each year from December 2012 through December 2015.
Cars that pay their tolls in cash will see the same increases. However, they will be charged a $2 penalty for using cash.
Trucks that use EZ Pass tags will see an increase of $2 per axle beginning next month. They will then see a $2 increase each year from 2012 through 2015. Trucks that do not use EZ pass will be subject to the same increases. However, they will be hit with a $3 fee for paying in cash. – E. Assata
Wright