Commuters heading into the Holland Tunnel after 9 a.m. today reacted with surprise, disappointment and resignation to a lesser-known aspect of the toll hike that took effect Sunday: Peak periods were extended by an hour.
This means if you were looking to take advantage of the $2 off-peak discount for E-ZPass users by crossing at 9:01 a.m., you’re out of luck. You now have to wait until after 10 a.m. And on the evening commute, peak hours have been extended from 4 to 8 p.m.
The weekend peak period price has also been expanded, an hour earlier and later, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Ron Marsico, declined to comment on the expansion of the hours.
But , Jeffrey M. Zupan, a senior fellow at the Regional Plan Association, a transportation planning group that works with the Port Authority, said the Port Authority likely expanded peak hours in order to “pick up a few extra bucks.”
The change in hours would be consistent with the reason for the toll hike, to boost Port Authority revenues, which have fallen in recent years due to the lagging economy.
The new toll for E-ZPass users is now $9.50 during peak hours, and $12 for cash customers. The discounted off-peak toll for E-ZPass users is $7.50. There is no discount for cash-payers, who cost the agency more to process because they require toll takers. Tolls will rise in yearly increments until 2015, when peak crossings will cost $12.50 for E-ZPass payers and $15 for cash customers. PATH fares also went up Sunday, to $2 from $1.75, and will rise to $2.75 by 2014.
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3 Responses
If ever there was an accurate definition of “Highway Robbery” this is it!! I hope for the longshot, that the lawsuit brought by the AAA of NY against the PA’s increases is successful.
Their greediness boggles the mind!
Yup, the folks in NJ have to pay for the big construction project in NYC!