Few drivers commented during two public hearings Wednesday about two proposed toll increases on the eight Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission spans between New Jersey and Pennsylvania that were driven by a $14.5 million revenue loss.
A proposed $2 increase in cash and toll-by-plate concerned Jeff Laurenti, of Trenton, who called it a “super hit” on low-income workers who travel between the two states for work the hardest. That rate is now $1.
“My concern is about equity and poor workers who don’t have the means for an E-ZPass account, they will be hit with $3,” he said. Conversion to E-ZPass isn’t possible for workers at the bottom of the ladder.
Laurenti asked commissioners to reconsider that increase.
“We should not punish the poor for not being rich enough to afford E-ZPass,” he said.
The only other comment was made during the morning hearing by John Oliphant, of Fairfax, Virginia, who was concerned about privacy issues with the toll by license plate feature.
Drivers will have one more opportunity to comment online between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday. After pre-registered attendees comment, the hearing will be open to anyone listening on the Zoom call who wants to voice an opinion.
Drivers can use this link to join the Zoom meeting from a computer or smartphone or can call the numbers listed on the commission website, here. They also can leave a comment on a form on the website until 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26.
Before the hearings, commission officials detailed how badly the coronavirus pandemic cut into the agencies revenue after traffic dropped as people worked from home and traveled less.
“In April in one week, we saw a 50% drop in toll revenues, that was a $1 million loss,” said Joseph Resta, DRJTBC executive director in a video presentation.
While traffic and revenue recovered from late May on, commission toll revenue never returned to pre pandemic levels, he said. Similar to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the DRJTBC was unsuccessful in effort to secure federal CARES act grants to cover toll revenue losses
Traffic and revenue losses have continued into 2021, with toll collections in the first six weeks of the year falling short of projections, Resta said.
“Any deferral or delay would necessitate steeper toll increases,” he said.
The Commission also has to use toll revenues to support 12 other “free” bridges between the two states that’s the DRJTBC is barred from putting tolls on.
“We are the only bi-state toll agency with such a mandate,” Resta said.
Proposed 2021 rate changes would raise the $1 E-ZPass toll for Class 1 passenger vehicles (two axles and less than 8 feet high) by 25 cents to $1.25. That class includes cars, SUV’s and light trucks. The current $1 cash toll for Class 1 passenger vehicles would be increased by $2 to $3.
Those rates are for the seven Commission toll bridges that accept E-ZPass and cash toll payment: the Trenton-Morrisville (Route 1), New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202), Interstate 78, Easton-Phillipsburg (Route 22), Portland-Columbia (Routes 611, 46, and 94), Delaware Water Gap (I-80), and Milford-Montague (Route 206) bridges.
The existing $1 surcharge for Class 1 vehicles with a bumper-hitch trailer in tow would increase by $1, to a $2 toll, in addition to the tow vehicle toll.
Drivers using the Scudder Falls (Interstate 295) Toll Bridge, which opened in July 2019 will see less of an impact. The current $1.25 E-ZPass toll for Class 1 passenger vehicles will not increase. The toll-by-plate rate for Class 1 vehicles will increase to $3 from the current $2.60.
Drivers who use E-ZPass will see either a reduction or elimination of those discounts at all eight toll bridges under the proposed 2021 toll increase. By 2024, all E-ZPass discounts will be eliminated. E-ZPass customers will pay half the cost of toll by license plate customers.
The proposed increase would be implemented on April 3, if approved by the board of commissioners at a March 29 meeting.
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Larry Higgs may be reached at [email protected].