Hiking Tolls On the Mario Cuomo Bridge

It's been a year since the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge opened, and lots of folks have been since preoccupied with hating its name.

Now they have another thing to focus on: the New York State Thruway Authority's new Toll Advisory Panel, announced July 10. Its mission: to review toll rates, potential resident and commuter discount programs and commercial vehicle rates on the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. The last Thruway toll increase was in 2010.

To the fury of many commuters and public officials, the Thruway Authority on July 10 announced meetings on the subject of the tolls would be held the following week and at a time when anyone who commutes would have trouble getting there — from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Calling the short notice and lack of transparency alarming and irresponsible, state Sen. David Carlucci, whose district is on both sides of the bridge, called instead for the panel to hold multiple meetings in Rockland and Westchester.

“Despite the fact that this issue has been brewing for years, we were only notified last week of these two Hudson Valley meetings," he told the press. "Further, the public and legislature had no input on who served on the panel. There should be no toll hike over the new bridge."

Rockland's meeting will be Thursday July 18 at The Time Nyack Hotel, 400 High Ave., Nyack, NY 10960

Thruway officials said it was time to deal with the issue.

“Over the last year, millions of motorists have been able to experience traveling over both spans of the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, and the time has come to begin the public process to review potential toll rate adjustments for the future viability of the bridge and our entire system,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said in his announcement. “We will continue to keep tolls as low as possible on the bridge for all motorists while providing the resources necessary to support the user-fee supported system. This objective will be informed by the public input gathered by the Toll Advisory Panel.”

The advisory panel's members:

• Robert Megna – Co-Chair – Mr. Megna currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the State University of New York (SUNY) and as Vice Chair for the Thruway Authority Board of Directors. Previously, he served as executive director of the Thruway Authority from 2015 to 2016.

• Joan McDonald – Ms. McDonald served as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation from 2011 to 2015 and led the Department through several prominent weather events such as Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy, and “Snovember” in Western New York. Ms. McDonald also co-chaired the Tappan Zee Bridge Mass Transit Task Force. Currently, she is the Director of Operations for Westchester County and a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council.

• Heather Briccetti – Ms. Briccetti is the most recent appointee to the Thruway Authority Board of Directors and currently serves as the President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State.

• Mario Cilento – Mr. Cilento is currently the President of the AFL-CIO and has served in that position since 2011. As head of the AFL-CIO, he oversees 2.5 million union members, retirees, and their families from 3,000 local union affiliates.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer testified at Wednesday afternoon's meeting of the panel in Tarrytown.

Carlucci submitted written testimony.

"Affordability is extremely important to Rockland and Westchester residents who are paying some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Residents cannot shoulder a regressive tax for anational infrastructure project," he said in his statement submitted to the panel. "The new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge came with a price tag of about $4 billion and should not be paid for on the backs of Hudson Valley commuters. "

Tolls on the MCB are $5 ($4.75 with E-Z Pass).

Back in 2017, as the bridge construction was getting well underway, a venerable New York fiscal watchdog group predicted the toll on the new bridge over the Tappan Zee would double. The basic $10 hit would be necessary to pay for the cost of the bridge's construction, said the Citizens Budget Commission. While high, it's less than the $14 initally rumored. It's also less the cost of the George Washington Bridge, which is $15 (with E-Z Pass, $10.50 Off-peak/ $12.50 peak).

SEE ALSO:

• Future Cost of New Tappan Zee Bridge Tolls Remains a Mystery
• Watchdog Group Recommends Up To $11 Toll For The New Bridge
• Nyack, Piermont Commuters: Fare and Toll Hikes Coming From The MTA