NYS Thruway approves plan to hike tolls starting January 1

The New York State Thruway Authority recently approved a series of toll increases for both passenger and commercial vehicle drivers.

On December 1, the New York State Thruway Authority Board of Directors approved a series of “tolling adjustments” in support of the agency’s move to cashless tolling.

The toll increases are set to go into effect January 1, 2021.

Authorities approved a toll increase for commercial vehicles on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in an attempt to curb gridlock on the bridge.

To reduce commercial congestion on the bridge when drivers ‘bridge shop’ for the cheapest crossings and create additional traffic, adjustments to commercial toll rates on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo bridge will more closely align with other major crossings in the New York metropolitan area.    

The NY E-ZPass rates for commercial vehicles on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge will increase by  31  percent  in 2021 and  30  percent  in 2022.  For example, the toll for a tractor trailer with 5 axles and a NY E-ZPass account will increase to $55.77 during peak hours in 2022, compared to $90 at the George Washington Bridge. Even with the adjustment, the commercial toll rate on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in 2022  will  still be  38  percent  less than the toll rate on the George Washington Bridge.  

Passenger vehicle toll rates will also increase on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge on January 1.

Other tolling changes going into effect January 1 are listed below.

• The standard NY E-ZPass toll rate will become the base toll rate and a 30 percent rate differential will be established for Tolls by Mail toll rates. Such differential toll rates have been standard practice among other systems that have converted to cashless tolling. To compare other toll road differentials for non-E-ZPass customers nationwide, Massachusetts has an 87 percent differential on the Massachusetts Turnpike and 109 percent on the Boston Extension. The Miami-Dade Expressway has a 100 percent differential and the Pennsylvania Turnpike charges a 36 percent differential. 
• Establish a 15 percent rate differential for out-of-state E-ZPass customers. 
• Clarify Board Policy that all transactions processed through a license plate image review will pay the Tolls by Mail rate. 
• Implement a $2 administrative surcharge per billing statement for Tolls by Mail statements to support the administrative costs associated with processing transactions through the Tolls by Mail program.  

“This is a modest toll adjustment balancing the needs for continued investment in our system while keeping tolls affordable for our motorists,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said. “We have not had a toll adjustment in 10 years and as we enter into a new era of modern transportation on the Thruway, it’s the right time both operationally and financially for this adjustment to occur.”

You can click here for additional information on the toll increase.