Mobilizing the Region
Issue 317May 14, 2001


McGreevey, Franks on Anti-Toll Bandwagon

Answering a question on a New Jersey radio program last week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Woodbridge mayor Jim McGreevey told listeners that he aims to eventually abolish tolls on the Garden State Parkway. Although he hedged by voicing concern over the $620 million in bond debt the removal would dump onto all NJ taxpayers and by also supporting the introduction of high-speed E-ZPass facilities on the Parkway, McGreevey said that within 90 days of taking office he would present both a short- and long-term plan to the public for taking down the toll booths.

Parkway tolls emerged as an issue when long-shot Republican candidate Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler made their removal a signature issue in his campaign. Republican front-runner Bob Franks has apparently also remarked that he favors eliminating Parkway tolls.

Any plan for transforming the Parkway into a freeway is expected to face big challenges. Parkway drivers now pay $170 million annually in tolls. The money is mainly used to fund Parkway maintenance and upgrades. If tolls are removed, these costs will be passed to taxpayers statewide whether or not they drive on the highway. Now 20-25% of that cost is paid by out-of-state drivers.

The diversion of state transportation funds to maintain the Parkway would also result in an even tighter operating budget for NJTransit, which already resorts to the bad practice of using capital funds to pay operating costs. Overall under-investment in transportation infrastructure will worsen.

McGreevey supports the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex transit line. During last year's Senate campaign, Franks also said he would provide funds for the M-O-M service, resurrect the West Trenton line and declared support for a new commuter rail tunnel from NJ to Manhattan. An anti-toll policy clearly flies in the face of an ambitious transportation improvement program.


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