Syndication: NorthJersey
(New York, NY/77WABC)-Commuters will be digging deeper into their pockets. Despite job losses and hardships caused by the viral pandemic, The MTA has approved a series of bridge and tunnel fare hikes which are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2021.
The carpool discount at the Verrazano Narrows bridge has been eliminated.
Staten Island commuters will continue to have a resident discount, and the post rebate toll to cross the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge increases to $2.95, up from $2.75
The one-way toll for New York E-ZPass users at major MTA crossings is increasing from $6.12 to $6.55. Non-New York E-ZPass drivers will pay an additional 67 cents up from $9.50 to $10.17.
As an incentive to commuters to properly mount their E-ZPass tags, the MTA is creating a “new mid-tier rate” for E-ZPass holders who improperly mount their E-ZPass. They say this will incentivize drivers to properly mount their tags. It’s an effort to discourage drivers from pulling their tags out at the last minute.
The move is expected to save $4.9 million a year in the cost of using video cameras to track down E-ZPass holders.
The new fares are expected to generate $62 million dollars for the MTA this year and bring in an additional $116 million dollars in 2022.
In March, the board opted not to increase fares for trains, buses, and subways, due to economic uncertainly during the Pandemic although the fares were scheduled to take effect.
On average, weekday bus and subway ridership is down between 50% and 70%. Weekday traffic at the authority’s seven bridges and two tunnels is only down about 15% compared with pre-pandemic levels.
Drastic service cuts remain on the table 2023-24 due to the MTA’s projected $8 billion dollar deficit.
