Summer Toll Hikes On the Way For New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway Commuters

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a possible toll hike could be in the making for New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway commuters. The details are still vague but it looks like the writing is on the wall .
NJ.com is reporting a toll hike for an unknown amount was proposed for both the turnpike and the parkway.

A last-minute addition to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s board of commissioner’s agenda calls for a “proposed capital program and supporting revenue enhancement” scheduled for March 18 and 19.
“The program is still in development. Today was to approve a public hearing,” said Tom Feeney, a Turnpike Authority spokesman, after the vote. “Between now and then, we’ll have details.”

As recently as October, the Turnpike Authority said that the 2020 budget did not require a toll increase to fund it.

The last toll increase was a 53 percent hike on January 1, 2012 as the final part to a multi-phase toll increase package approved in 2008.Parts of the Turnpike and Parkway were widened from the toll increase in the authority’s $7 billion capital plan.

According to documents provided to commissioners, “just $400 million are currently available over the next five years to tackle important projects that enhance roadway safety, relieve congestion and improve access onto and off the Turnpike and Parkway.” In 2019, the authority earned $1.612 billion through tolls.