HIGHLAND – Traffic and
revenue on all five bridges over the Hudson River operated by the New
York State Bridge Authority increased in the first quarter of the year.
Total traffic rose by over 11 percent while revenue increased by just under 11 percent compared to the same January to March period in 2015.
Bridge Authority Executive Director Joseph Ruggiero said the trend is attributable to leap year adding one day in February, better weather with little snow this past winter, and lower gas prices.
Pump prices had been under $2 per gallon for several weeks.
“Gas is up now 40 cents over the last two months,” Ruggiero said. Usually when gas gets in the $3, $4 range, we do see a severe impact in traffic, so hopefully the good news will prevail.”
Compared to the first quarter of last year, in the first three months of 2016, traffic rose by 9.74 percent on the Rip Van Winkle, by 9.89 percent in the Kingston-Rhinecliff, by 9.86 percent on the Mid-Hudson, by 10.63 percent on the Newburgh-Beacon, and by 18 percent on the Bear Mountain.
Revenue rose by 9.72 percent on the Rip Van Winkle, by 9.96 percent on the Kingston-Rhinecliff, by 10.28 percent on the Mid-Hudson, by 10.05 percent on the Newburgh-Beacon, and by 18.71 percent on the Bear Mountain.
