Last Wednesday, New Jersey Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein delivered a report to Acting Governor Donald DiFrancesco containing an analysis of how to remove the barrier toll plazas on the Garden State Parkway as well as a plan to bring about a "toll holiday" on the Parkway on Labor Day, September 3rd. A spokesperson for the Acting Governor said he is reviewing the report, but does not expect to release its results to the public for at least a week. The report was commissioned through executive order by the Acting Governor in May and is expected to compare the costs and benefits of installing high-speed collection facilities with removal of tolls from the highway (MTR #320).

Previous statements by the New Jersey Highway Authority suggest that the cost of demolishing the 11 cross-highway toll plazas and of replacing or retro-fitting them with high-speed collection facilities would be roughly equivalent - between $120-$130 million. In addition, toll removal would force state taxpayers to shoulder the burden for the $150 million annual (non-toll related) cost of operating the Parkway, as well as the Highway Authority's $620 million in outstanding bonds and its $200 million E-ZPass installation debt. 

The Star Ledger and Gannett reported information leaked from the report last week that removing tolls for Labor Day alone would cost the state upwards of $800,000 in lost revenue, overtime pay, and other expenses.

In a letter to Commissioner Weinstein in June, the Campaign asked that the study look at the effectiveness of toll removal in relieving congestion on the Parkway. In particular, the group said that the report should determine how many drivers previously traveling Routes 1, 9 and 35 and other parallel routes are likely to shift to the Parkway and the resulting impact on peak period congestion.

Another Toll Holiday Bid, Careful Language from DiFrancesco - June 4, 2001

Demise of the Toll Holiday - May 28, 2001

Garden State Parkway Confirms Non-Stop E-ZPass Potential - July 17, 2000

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