by KYW's Steve Tawa

The Delaware River Port Authority plans to raise tolls on the area bridges it operates, as well as Patco fares.

Under the DRPA proposal, bridge tolls would go up by $1 in mid-September, another dollar in September of 2010, and cost-of-living increases every two years thereafter.

Patco fares would go up in similar fashion: 10 percent in mid-September, another ten percent in September of 2010, and cost-of-living increases thereafter.

DRPA chief executive officer John Matheussen says money raised would be dedicated only to maintaining the DRPA's assets -- the four bridges it operates, and Patco.

Matheussen says the DRPA will hold public hearings on its proposed hikes, July 22nd at Rutgers University in Camden and July 23rd at the cruise terminal in South Philadelphia.

The DRPA had previously announced a five-year capital budget which calls for a billion-dollar investment in the bridges and Patco, including bridge re-decking, removal of lead paint, addition of corrosion protection, and other rehab work (see previous story).

The DRPA operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross, and Commodore Barry bridges.

(File photo by KYW's John Ostapkovich)