At a board meeting last Thursday, the NJ Highway Authority's commissioners voted in favor of beginning peak and off-peak toll discounts for E-ZPass users, making the Garden State Parkway the third major New Jersey toll authority to implement congestion pricing within the last two years. Time-varied tolls were approved by the NJ Turnpike Commissioners in January 2000 and went into effect in September 2000 (MTR #'s 254, 286). Variable pricing was proposed for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's bridges and tunnels in November 2000 and began on the crossings in March 2001 (MTR #'s 295, 310).

The Parkway's pricing structure is more modest than that adopted by the two other agencies. Under the Parkway's program, cash payers will pay 35 cents at each of the 11 barrier plazas at all times. E-ZPass users will pay 33 cents during peak hours and 30 cents off-peak. Peak hours are 7-9am, 4-6pm weekdays, 10-2pm Saturdays and 3-7pm on Sundays. The differential would become more dramatic if the next Governor and state legislature choose to install staggered high-speed toll facilities, as suggested by Acting Governor DiFrancesco in a recent report (MTR #329). 

Simultaneously, the Authority voted to discontinue token sales. Currently, Parkway patrons receive a small discount for purchasing rolls of tokens and no discount for using E-ZPass, a strategy that has left E-ZPass market share on the Parkway lagging at 48%. Used by roughly 11% of Parkway drivers, tokens will continue to be accepted at cash or exact change lanes. 

A public hearing on the new toll structure is scheduled October 3rd at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. After the hearing, Highway Authority commissioners will take a final vote. If approved, the toll changes will take effect January 1st. E-ZPass should be usable on all Parkway lanes by October 31.

Because the Authority will lower, not raise tolls to create the discounts, its congestion pricing system will cost the Parkway roughly $12.5 million annually, an amount likely to strain its tight budget. 

DiFrancesco Backs High-Speed Tolls, For Now - Would Eliminate Tolls on Garden State by 2012 - August 13, 2001

Pricing Begins on PA Bridges and Tunnels - March 26, 2001

September 30th, Turnpike Steps Into Highway History - September 18, 2000 

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