On Thursday, New Jersey's Acting Governor Donald DiFrancesco unveiled his plan for the future of tolls on the Garden State Parkway. The four-phase plan would first set up free-flow E-ZPass facilities along the Parkway, then eliminate toll collection at on-ramps and remove all tolls in about 10 years. During that time, the state would assume the burden of an $800 million capital program to widen bridges and add lanes along the highway. While high-speed E-ZPass is in use, the Parkway will implement incentives to use the electronic payment medium, and introduce a modest price differential between peak and off-peak toll prices. 

Most immediately, DiFrancesco ordered Parkway officials to increase the speed limit at E-ZPass lanes to 15mph, and called off his plan for a Labor Day "toll holiday."

Details of the plan:

Near-term steps: In addition to increasing E-Z Pass lane speeds, DiFrancesco said that E-Z Pass discounts, congestion pricing and a phase-out of toll tokens would be in place by the end of the year. E-Z Pass users would pay 33 cents during peak hours and 30 cents off-peak, compared to the 35-cent cash toll. 
    Though modest, the price breaks are a welcome addition to the congestion pricing systems established by the NJ Turnpike and Port Authority.

High-speed E-Z Pass: The plan to implement free-flow E-ZPass facilities along the Parkway would eliminate half of the existing toll barriers in each direction of traffic flow. For instance, high-speed E-Z Pass would be installed at the Raritan North barrier, while the Raritan South barrier would be completely removed. Similarly, the Essex North barrier will be eliminated, while the Essex South barrier will be rebuilt for highway-speed toll collection. Tolls at the alternating facilities would double from 35 to 70 cents (62 cents for E-ZPass peak users, 55 cents for E-Z Pass off-peak). 
    Depending on mileage between facilities, it's possible that "free" segments of the road will attract traffic, changing travel patterns in unforeseen ways in the Parkway corridor.

Toll elimination: After five years, NJ would begin tearing out Parkway ramp toll plazas. Although documents outlining DiFrancesco's plan do not actually describe the elimination of the high-speed E-ZPass facilities NJ would install during over the next few years, the Governor's press release states that the highway will be "toll free in 2012."

Finance: To make up for revenue declines from ramp toll elimination and, eventually, abolition of all tolls, the plan shifts the Parkway capital program over time to NJ's Transportation Trust Fund and possibly the state's general fund. DiFrancesco called for $800 million in capital improvements over 10 years, including widening the Driscoll Bridge over the Raritan River (see MTR #162) and adding lanes to the Parkway in Ocean and Atlantic Counties. The state would also have to eventually assume the Parkway's $200 million annual operating budget.
    This issue is sure to be the plan's biggest sticking point in Trenton, both with the governor who will take office in January, and with legislators, who will have to struggle with the issue of a huge new burden for the state's stretched transportation budget.

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign urged candidates and legislators to choose the progressive policy and technological aspects of DiFrancesco's offering, and reject the bank-breaking elimination of all Parkway tolls. 

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler, whose pledges to remove tolls in short order have put the issue on the map this year, said the plan would not distract him from ridding the Parkway of tolls within nine months of taking office. He told the Star-Ledger that the state could get along with less revenue. Language in DiFrancesco's release that emphasized the "responsible" and fiscally balanced approach of his plan appeared to slap at Schundler's bombastic approach to the issue. 

Democratic candidate Jim McGreevey, who has been measured on the issue of Parkway tolls in the past, nonetheless criticized DiFrancesco's plan for not getting rid of tolls fast enough. Without explaining himself, McGreevey told news outlets that he would seek to remove tolls without burdening taxpayers.

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

Environmental, Transportation Groups Call for NJ High-Speed E-ZPass Lanes Now - August 6, 2001

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