AllCutieWants
09-25-2007, 09:20 AM
ALBANY, N.Y. – Thruway tolls could rise and E-ZPass discounts could go away.
Slower than expected traffic growth on the state highway may be to blame.
Most passenger and commercial drivers could see toll increases of under 5 percent phased in over several years.
Larger increases are possible in discount zones iincluding those near Grand Island, New Rochelle and the Tappan Zee Bridge and for users of annual passes for frequent short trips such as between Amsterdam and Albany.
The Thruway Authority isn't offering any estimates of what those increases could be.
The most recent Thruway toll increases were in 2005, the first in 17 years.
That effort caused an uproar led by the trucking industry.
In January 2008, the last piece of that increase takes effect: tolls paid in cash will increase ten percent.
Slower than expected traffic growth on the state highway may be to blame.
Most passenger and commercial drivers could see toll increases of under 5 percent phased in over several years.
Larger increases are possible in discount zones iincluding those near Grand Island, New Rochelle and the Tappan Zee Bridge and for users of annual passes for frequent short trips such as between Amsterdam and Albany.
The Thruway Authority isn't offering any estimates of what those increases could be.
The most recent Thruway toll increases were in 2005, the first in 17 years.
That effort caused an uproar led by the trucking industry.
In January 2008, the last piece of that increase takes effect: tolls paid in cash will increase ten percent.