New Jersey commuters whacked with another toll hike

💲 Tolls to go up on four Delaware River bridges

💲 How much remains a question

💲 Toll hikes have been avoided for years

It is no longer a question of 'if' tolls will rise to cross four Delaware River bridges. The only question that remains is 'how much'.'

For 13-years commissioners at the Delaware River Port Authority have always managed to balance the agency's books without having to raise the cost to drivers.

Tolls have remains steady at $5 to cross for more than a decade.

Now, payment is coming due on nearly two-dozen capital improvement projects including critical structure work on the Ben Franklin Bridge and a project to prevent the bridge's cables from rusting.

As a result, commissioners have agreed there will be an increase that goes in effect on Aug. 1.

How much will the toll increase be?

Not as much as first feared.

Originally, Delaware River Port Authority Commissioners approved a toll hike that was indexed to the Consumer Price Index. That would have resulted in a $1.50 toll hike, raising tolls from the current $5 toll to $6.50 per trip.

However, the agencies finance committee has put forward a plan that would reduce the increase to $1 a trip, or $6 per crossing.

The full board of commissioners will vote on that proposal next Wednesday.

Either way, you will pay more to cross the Ben Franklin, Betsey Ross, Commodore Barry and Walt Whitman Bridges on Aug. 1.

Delaware tolls still far cheaper than Hudson tolls

Even if the full toll hike were to take effect this year, commuters who cross the Hudson River into New York City would consider it quite the bargain.

With the most recent toll hikes from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the toll to use the George Washington Bridge or Holland and Lincoln Tunnels is more than double the rate over the Delaware.

The Hudson River tolls are now $15.38 per crossing and will go up every year based on the rate of inflation.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom