By MICHAEL GORMLEY, Associated Press Monday, September 24, 2007
ALBANY -- Toll increases could approach 20 percent over four years and E-ZPass discounts could evaporate as the state Thruway Authority deals with slower-than-expected traffic growth on the highway due to rising fuel costs, officials said Monday.
Most passenger and commercial drivers could see annual toll increases of under 5 percent phased in between 2008 and 2011. But larger increases are possible in discount zones -- including those near Grand Island, New Rochelle and the Tappan Zee Bridge -- and for users of annual passes for frequent short trips such as between Amsterdam and Albany.
"We're really looking at a menu," said Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael R. Fleischer. "If you do more in one place, you can do less in another."
He said the increases could be scaled back or avoided if revenues from increased traffic rises higher than projected.
The most recent Thruway toll increases were in 2005, the first in 17 years for the highway that runs from New York City to Buffalo. That effort caused an uproar led by the trucking industry.
Back then, the authority -- legally a separate entity from state government -- raised tolls by 25 percent for passenger vehicles and by 35 percent for commercial vehicles. That change included a 10 percent discount if a passenger car used the E-ZPass electronic toll system and a 5 percent discount for commercial drivers using E-ZPass.
In January 2008, the last piece of that increase takes effect: Tolls paid in cash will be increased 10 percent. That will raise the current maximum toll of $15.15 for a passenger car from Woodbury to Williamsville to $16.70.
The Thruway Authority board could back the proposal to further increase tolls at its November meeting. The proposal would go to public hearings then voted on late this year or in early 2008.
"We are naturally concerned about toll increases and have been working with the Thruway Authority as they evaluate the financial viability of various options," said Christine Anderson, spokesman for Gov. Eliot Spitzer. "The Authority has a responsibility to its bond holders as well as a responsibility to close out year budget gaps so that a balanced budget can be maintained."
Fleischer said the 2008 budget for the authority is balanced, but it now projects a deficit of $75 million to $80 million a year. Its annual budget is about $1 billion.
Traffic, and thus revenue, is expected to grow by 1.2 percent next year, 1.5 percent in 2009 and by 2.2 percent in 2010 to 2011, Fleischer said. Traffic on the Thruway had been projected to grow at a faster rate.
"They have attributed it to the high gasoline prices and particularly the spiking of gasoline prices," he said.
Increasing tolls is a last resort, said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, a Westchester Democrat and chairman of the chamber's authorities committee. "They are going to have to make a case."
Tolls on the Thruway were supposed to disappear in 1996, when the original bonds which financed construction were to have been paid off. But state officials abandoned that plan in the 1980s when they decided users of the superhighway should pay for its maintenance instead of all taxpayers.
The Thruway Authority has since taken on other obligations, such as operation of the state canal system.
Toll increases could approach 20 percent over four years and E-ZPass discounts could evaporate as the state Thruway Authority deals with slower-than-expected traffic growth on the highway due to rising fuel costs, officials said Monday.
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The Thruway Authority has since taken on other obligations, such as operation of the state canal system.
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"We're really looking at a menu," said Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael R. Fleischer. "If you do more in one place, you can do less in another."
I dont use the thruway very much.....but, my a@# is getting too full of smoke.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Well, in the bad weather, I REFUSE to ride on the Thruway. They do a horrible job of spending our money on it. I always take the back roads. As far as the other times that I ride the Thruway, I generally take it from 25A to 24, which in itself is a free ride. Hope they don't get the idea to start charging something for that. Maybe if they had some real gas prices at the rest areas, they could start to turn a bit of a profit.
EDITORIALS Another Thruway toll hike is not the answer
Holy toll-edo! Two years after the Thruway Authority raised tolls between 25 percent and 35 percent, its chief is floating the idea of another round of toll hikes — as much as 20 percent over four years starting next year! Not a great idea, to say the least. Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer blames higher gas prices for the drop in Thruway traffic over the past two years that, barring a reversal or toll hike, will produce operating deficits in the not-too-distant future. But hold on a minute: What about that big toll hike in 2005? Mightn’t that also be a reason for the drop? And wouldn’t another round of toll hikes cause traffic (and revenue) to fall even more? While a case can surely be made for having tolls, as opposed to general state revenues, support the 641-mile highway system, state officials have to be careful: If they raise tolls too much, the out-of-state truckers, tourists and others who use the road will look for alternative routes — and alternative places to do business. New York businesses that survive will have little choice but to absorb the higher costs or pass them along — also bad for business. Finally, the Thruway will have to raise tolls even more (on its remaining pool of users, mostly New Yorkers) to make ends meet. It’s a formula for economic trouble. The Authority needs to do a better job controlling costs. (Massachusetts managed to eliminate tolls on half its turnpike a decade ago, about the same time the Thruway’s bonds were paid off.) One way would be to encourage greater use of E-ZPass, the automated toll collection system, which would allow for personnel cuts. Unfortunately, Fleischer has indicated the E-ZPass discounts may be phased out in some areas. And a way for the state to counter the impact of rising gas prices would be to cut its motor fuel tax. That’s also been done in the Bay State, where gas prices are a full 25 cents per gallon less than in New York. What gives?
So the people don't travel as much to try to save money since gas prices are just too high. So good old NYS will just charge MORE!!! So we get it stuck to us anyways! Either at the pumps or at the toll booths! How sweet, huh?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
How about that good old NYS is sticking it to us at the toll booths and at the gas pumps and they don't even say thank you for violating us.
Maybe we should slap a 2000' law for the state to keep it's violating hands out of our pockets....
reference law STAR#2007: NYS legislators must keep their hands at least 2000' from taxpayers pockets at all times except when in time of need for actual STATE business of which megamillions, lotto, scratch offs, gas tax among other items listed in section blah blah blah blah......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
CAPITOL Committee approves Thruway toll increase BY MICHAEL GORMLEY The Associated Press
The state Thruway Authority on Thursday moved toward further increasing tolls by 5 percent in 2009 and again in 2010. The increases, approved by a key committee Thursday, would be in addition to the 10 percent increase in cash rates that begins in January. Users of E-ZPass, the electronic toll collecting system, would see smaller increases. The cash rate for a car driving from New York City to Williamsville, just outside Buffalo, is now $15.15 on the half-century old superhighway. When fully implemented, the trip will cost $18.36 when paying in cash, or $17.58 if paid through E-ZPass. Authority officials said the increases are needed because spiking gas prices are limiting travel and that is cutting revenue needed for its $2.1 billion highway and bridge repair plan. “The plan is necessary to ensure that the Thruway can continue to make sound investments for safe, reliable transportation,” said Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer. “We think this is a prudent plan that’s needed to make sure the Thruway continues to serve its vital function.” The proposal will get a vote before the full authority board on Nov. 19 and could be the subject of public hearings in January and February. A final vote could be in March. The most recent Thruway toll increases were in 2005, the first in 17 years. That effort caused an uproar led by the trucking industry. That’s when the authority — a legally separate entity from state government created by the Legislature — raised tolls by 25 percent for passenger vehicles and 35 percent for commercial vehicles. The last phase of that increase will begin in January, when the maximum cash toll will rise to $16.70, from $15.15. Tolls on the Thruway were supposed to have disappeared in 1996, when the funding for the initial construction was to be paid. But state offi - cials in the 1980s decided to continue tolls, saying drivers, not all taxpayers, should maintain the highway. The Thruway Authority has since taken on other obligations, such as operation of the state canal system, Interstate 84 and the Cross Westchester Expressway.
The reason that there's fewer cars on the Thruway is because of higher gas prices and high tolls charged by NYS. Many RVs and trucks that travel many miles a year form a plan to take a route which goes around the NYS Thruway because they refuse to pay the high toll. Now that the tolls will be higher fewer vehicles will travel the Thruway.
Tolls on the Thruway were supposed to have disappeared in 1996, when the funding for the initial construction was to be paid. But state offi - cials in the 1980s decided to continue tolls, saying drivers, not all taxpayers, should maintain the highway.
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