Toll hikes on MTA bridges, tunnels take effect Sunday

Starting Sunday, drivers will have to shell out more money to cross MTA bridges and tunnels after the agency approved toll and fare hikes last month.

The tolls will be roughly 6% higher for New York E-ZPass customers and 10% for others at MTA crossings, including the Queens-Midtown and Hugh L. Carey tunnels, plus the Verrazzano-Narrows, Robert F. Kennedy, Bronx-Whitestone and Throgs Neck bridges.

New York E-ZPass customers will see fares climb at major crossings to $6.94 from the current $6.55, while out-of-state E-ZPass customers and drivers opting for tolls by mail will be charged $11.19 from the current $10.17.

When an E-ZPass holder’s tag can’t be read “due to improper mounting” and the toll is collected via license plate lookup, the “mid-tier” charge will be $9.11, up from the current $8.36.

As in the past, toll rates also vary by vehicle type.

The MTA has said the toll increases, along with increases in train fares, were necessary to pull the transit agency out of potential insolvency.

AAA Northeast opposed the toll increases and in a March letter to the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority said the agency collects enough toll revenue to maintain the crossings while unjustly targeting out-of-state drivers that lack a New York issued E-ZPass tag.

“Firstly, current TBTA tolls far exceed operational and capital expenses to maintain bridges and tunnels. Secondly, the TBTA’s proposal to raise tolls once again on out of state drivers is unfair and egregious,” states the letter signed by John Corlett, vice president of public and government affairs at AAA Northeast.

On Aug. 20, commuters will see fares jump roughly 4% on subways, buses and commuter rails, including the Long Island Rail Road. The commuter rails’ monthly and weekly fares will remain lower than pre-COVID due to a 10% discount implemented in March 2022.

MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber previously said the increases are part of a budget deal with the state.

“We all need to accept that the MTA raising fares 4% when surrounding inflation over the last several years is well in excess of that is responsible, and what it delivers is a balanced budget that preserves service,” Lieber previously said.

Higher tolls and fares are expected to generate approximately $117 million for the MTA this year.

The MTA plans to increase fares 4% in 2025 and in 2027 and roll out a congestion pricing plan next year to put additional tolls on traffic driving in Manhattan below 60th Street.

To obtain an E-ZPass, drivers can fill out an application online. Drivers can also visit a participating retailer and purchase a $25 tag.