Thruway tolls to rise in January

Alex Gault, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Sep. 18—Drivers on the New York State Thruway will see a toll jump starting in January.

For drivers north of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in Rockland and Westchester counties, the base E-Zpass toll rate will increase by 5%, the first increase for these drivers since 2010. Another 5% increase will take effect in January 2027.

For toll-by-mail customers who don't have a toll tag and those who don't have a New York-issued EZPass, the base rate will increase to 8.6 cents per mile by 2027, from the current rate of 5.8 and 5.1 cents per mile, respectively.

For fixed-rate tolling points, which charge customers for using specific aspects of the Thruway like the Cuomo Bridge, similar increases are planned as well for non-NY EZPass and toll by mail customers, while rates will stay the same as they are currently for NY EZPass holders.

In a statement explaining the toll changes expected, Thruway officials said the system has been operating with a base toll rate much lower than the national average for comparable toll highways. They said the system is facing a litany of maintenance projects expected to hit between $6 and $7 billion in the mid-to-long term. With over 815 bridges in the system and an average bridge age of 55, more than 85 bridges have been identified for replacement within the decade.

The Thruway system's operations and maintenance are primarily funded by tolls, with minimal, irregular use of state and federal funding to support it. The decision to raise tolls was made by the Thruway Board of Directors in a vote on Monday.

"The toll adjustments approved today by the Board of Directors follow a yearlong public process and represent a responsible approach to ensure continued investment in the 570-mile Thruway system for years to come," said Board of Directors Chair Joanne M. Mahoney in a statement.