Sharp Toll Increases Proposed For NJ Turnpike, Parkway

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority proposed a sharp increase for tolls on the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway Thursday.

In a letter to Gov. Jon Corzine, the authority asked his permission to raise turnpike tolls on an average car by 60 cents next year, an additional 90 cents in 2012 and 30 cents more in 2023.
Parkway tolls would see an average increase of 15 cents next year, 25 cents in 2012 and 8 cents in 2023. The money will be used for two major widening projects.

In a statement, Corzine said he is reviewing the proposal, noting it is “significantly scaled back” from the nearly 800 per cent increase he pushed earlier this year to try to deal with New Jersey’s heavy debt.

Tolls were last raised on the turnpike in 2000, and on the Parkway in 1989.

Source: WCBS