New York’s recently passed state budget calls for the formation of a 10-member metropolitan transportation sustainability advisory workgroup, which will – among other things – consider a possible reduction in tolling for intra-borough bridges, including the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
The full toll for the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is $17, though most travelers pay either the $11.52 E-ZPass rate or the $5.50 Staten Island resident rate. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge services over 197,000 vehicles on a daily basis and collected nearly $417 million in tolls in 2017, according to a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) spokesperson.
A public forum will be hosted on June 7 to address the future of Staten Island transportation – including discussions focused on, but not limited to, bus routes, railways and bridge tolls. In addition to intra-borough bridge tolls, the workgroup will also study:
- Reliability, sustainability and transparency on project selection.
- Sustainable funding for public transportation needs.
- Motor vehicular traffic within the city of New York, including, but not limited to, taxicab and for-hire vehicle trips.
- Transportation strategies to advance the furtherance of environmental goals.
- Taxicab and for-hire vehicle trips, including those originating and/or terminating within, or transiting, particular geographic areas using publicly available information.
- The feasibility of a reduced fare program for transportation on New York City Transit Authority systems, the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad for students attending a university, college, community college or post-secondary vocational institution located in the city of New York.
Source: silive.com
