by KYW's Ed Kasuba
Discussion of a possible toll hike on four major Delaware River bridge crossings is possible when the Delaware River Port Authority meets next month to review the proposed operating and capital budgets for the upcoming year.
An authority commissioner tells KYW Newsradio that a toll hike most certainly will happen since revenues are not keeping pace with expenses.
However, Authority vice-chair Jeff Nash -- while not denying a toll hike is possible -- downplays the possibility:
"The one thing I think all the commissioners agree is that we will not let what happened in Minnesota [see related story] happen in our region. But to talk about a toll increase to make those safety capital repairs is premature.”
And Authority acting chair John Estey agrees:
"We’re going to have to take a hard look at our capital budget needs and our operating budget needs, and then the board is going to be asked to make decisions. But for anybody to say anything is inevitable at this point, I think, is inaccurate. I don’t think there’s anything that’s inevitable.”
The last general bridge toll hike was in 1999, when tolls went from $2.00 to $3.00.
The DRPA bridges are the Bejamin Franklin (above), the Walt Whitman, the Commodore Barry, and the Betsy Ross.
(Photo: KYW's John Ostapkovich)
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