Congressmen Urge Port Authority To Keep GWB Carpool Toll Discount

FORT LEE, NJ — Two local congressmen are urging the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to keep the carpool toll discount on the George Washington Bridge.

Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Bill Pascrell Jr., both Democrats who represent New Jersey's Fifth and Ninth congressional districts, respectively, sent a letter to Port Authority Chairman, and former New Jersey assemblyman and senator, Kevin O'Toole Monday, urging him to reverse course on the agency's plan.

"We oppose any effort that will force New Jersey drivers to carry to burden of yet another costly toll hike, and one weigh entirely on the pocketbooks of commuters, make traffic worse, and contribute to further damage of our already-fragile environment," the congressmen said in the letter.

The Port Authority is planning to eliminate the discount in January due to the implementation of camera-operated cashless tolls. The discount will cost New Jersey drivers $2,125 more annually in tolls.

The Port Authority has said that carpool rates will not work with cashless tolls, because their cameras cannot tell how many people are in a car, according to Gottheimer and Pascrell. They said agencies in California, Massachusetts, Georgia are using cameras in cashless lanes that can detect multiple passengers in vehicles.

The Port Authority's carpool plan costs $6.50 per trip if three people are in the vehicles, and does not apply to commercial vehicles. George Washington Bridge toll rates for two-axle vehicle costs $10.50 during off-peak hours and $12.50 during peak hours for EZPass users and $15 if paid in cash.

"Eliminating the carpool lane will cost many New Jersey residents thousands of dollars a year in new tolls, add a ton of new cars onto the bridge, and create more air pollution," Gottheimer said in a statement. "That's a lose-lose-lose for absolutely everyone. It just doesn’t make any sense to me, and I hope Port Authority will reconsider their decision."

Commuter Charlie Wu started an online petition to bring awareness about the coming change. More than 250 people have signed it. Wu wants 500 people to sign it to bring awareness about how the change will affect commuters to Gov. Murphy's administration and to local officials.

The New Jersey Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy nonprofit, also came out and expressed its displeasure with the Port Authority's decision.

"People are going to be paying more to be stuck in traffic longer, and will end up breathing more pollution. Getting rid of this program makes absolutely no sense because New Jersey has some of the worst air quality in the nation," said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "We should be expanding carpool incentives, not taking them away."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com