Aug 20, 2008 11:43 pm US/Eastern
DRPA Toll Hike Approved For Bridges
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS 3) ―
The Delaware River Port Authority and PATCO Board of Directors have approved changes to bridge tolls and PATCO fare schedules.
Families struggling with high gas and food prices will soon have one more cost to worry about, under the new plan, which goes into effect September 14, 2008, the cost of crossing the bridges will jump from $3 to $4.
At a meeting Wednesday morning, the Delaware Port Authority board members voted unanimously in favor of the new plan, which will also increase the PATCO fares by a significant ten percent.
Also under the new plan, rates will increase every two years with the increased cost of living. The next hike will take place in September 2010 when bridge fares will raise to $5 and PATCO rates will increase another 10-percent. Because the cost of living adjustments are made according to a national standard, the pubic will have no say in future increases.
Although the toll hikes were voted unanimously in favor by board members, there were still some who opposed the decision.
Ela Voluck of AAA Mid-Atlantic was on hand for the hearings and voiced her concerns.
"It has to be done on a public basis and it has to be done on a basis where the public understand what exactly is happening, where the money is going and in small increments," said Voluck.
Authorities say that the money taken from the bridges will not go to anymore economic development projects, those accounts already contain $35 million.
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