New Jersey Commuters Brace For New Year's Toll Hikes On Turnpike, GSP
HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Garden State drivers looking to save some money in the new year won't be able to do it during their commute.
A toll hike is on the way, but while the state said it's happening whether you like it or not, some commuters are crying foul.
Their wheels are already spinning, but soon New Jersey commuters say their heads will be spinning, too.
1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reports
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"I don't appreciate the hikes, I think it's enough already," Sean Pardue of Hoboken, told CBS 2's Ann Mercogliano.
The toll hike will go into affect on New Year's Day at exactly 6:30 a.m. It's the second phase of a toll increase approved back in 2008 by then-Gov. Jon Corzine.
The Turnpike Authority said the average passenger-vehicle toll will go up from $2.20 to $3.30 on the NJ Turnpike and from $0.70 to $1.05 on the Garden State Parkway.
That means New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway tolls will be going up by 50 percent and that number is what's troubling to drivers.
Father of three Don Noble commutes daily from Rutherford and said he simply can't afford it.
"It's not effective for me to go into the city to try to make a living to take care of my family," he said.
Noble's commute will look something like the following:
If he takes the Turnpike to the Holland Tunnel daily, he will pay an extra $4.20 daily in tolls. If he works 20 days a month, that's $84 per month. Yearly, that adds up to $1,008 more than the year before.
Why the hike?
The Turnpike Authority said it will help pay for a 10-year, $7 billion capital program that includes turnpike widening and bridge restoration. It is something that some commuters say they may need, but just don't want to pay for.
This will be the third toll increase in the 58-year-old history of the Garden State Parkway and the seventh increase in the 60-year history of the New Jersey Turnpike.
How will the new toll hikes affect your commute? Share your thoughts in the comments section below...
