Public debate spurred by the Bloomberg administration’s talk of putting tolls on East River Bridges continued through last week.  City Hall seems prepared to stick to its position even after sparking peculiar pre-election media attention of a potentially hot issue. Reporters’ subsequent questions forced Governor Pataki into a “no” stance on tolls, but Mayor Bloomberg apparently does not accept that as the final word. Still, the Mayor does not seem willing to go it alone. Despite a legal opinion commissioned by Transportation Alternatives concluding that the city could place toll city-owned roadways without Albany’s approval, the mayor told the Daily News that his administration would seek the state legislature’s approval.  The Daily News disagreed, and today urged the city to forge ahead on tolls itself.  “While there are no tolls now, the taxpaying public must realize that the four bridges aren’t really free. They eat up a fortune in maintenance costs,” the paper wrote.  Newsday had earlier chided the Governor for his position against tolls, noting that they would reduce traffic congestion and encourage transit use as well as raise revenue.

Earlier in the week, however, the city had discussed selling or leasing the bridges to the MTA, which collects tolls at most other major river crossings in New York City.

Putting the bridges under MTA control would resolve some of the transportation policy issues East River toll revenue would raise.  Would the money be used to improve transportation, and if so, what transportation?  MTA toll revenue maintains the bridges and tunnels, with the surplus going to NYC Transit and the MTA commuter railroads.  A new deal would likely be struck over East River revenue, including lease payments to the city.  But it would imply that a good portion of surplus revenues would be devoted to mass transit.

Last week’s other theme was high-tech toll collection.  A front-page NY Times story highlighted technological advances that may make bridge tolls an easier sell than in previous times.  Though the piece focused on high falutin examples like the all-electronic E-407 route outside of Toronto, non-stop E-Z Pass applications are already in use in this region — for instance at the NJ Turnpike’s exit 6.The mayor turned to the topic during his Friday radio show, expressing enthusiasm for non-stop tolling and proposing sale of anonymous toll cards to anyone unhappy about the privacy implications of an E-ZPass account.

Further information on bridge tolls: www.bridgetolls.org

City Hall Active on East River Tolls (Oct. 21, 2002)

Poll: Two to One, New Yorkers Prefer East River Tolls Over Fare Increase (July 22, 2002)

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