ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo had pledged that the new Tappan Zee Bridge named for his father would not see a toll hike in 2020. The Thruway Authority Board wasted no time in proposing a toll increase on the bridge and the superhighway in 2021 and 2022.
A driver in a passenger car with New York E-ZPass would see the bridge toll rise from $4.75 to $5.25 and for those without the electronic toll device would pay $7.48, up from $5. They would be billed by mail.
Tolls across the Thruway would also increase with additional annual revenue of $94 million by 2024, authority officials said.
State Senator David Carlucci (D, Nanuet), who has been pushing for a discounted toll on the bridge for Rockland and Westchester motorists, blasted the proposal.
“Rockland and Westchester County taxpayers should not be footing the bill for the new Tappan Zee Bridge,” he said. “The Thruway Authority is going to place a regressive fee on residents with little regard and zero transparency. We can have a beautiful new bridge, but if people can’t afford to cross it, then our economy will be crushed. We need to ensure there is a real resident discount and that a toll payer advocate is in place to address current problems with cashless tolling.”
