AAA New York appeals PANYNJ Bridge/toll hikes for 9/18/11 may consider a lawsuit

[Shortline Bus]

The planned Port Authority of NY/NJ's toll increase on the GW Bridge and other NY-NJ crossings could be challenged with a last minute lawsuit. The New York AAA auto club (I am also a member)has written a letter to the US department of transportation claiming the PANYNJ broke a law using part of the funding on NON TRANSIT/INFRASTUCTURE EXPENSIVES i.e rebulding the World Trade Center.

 

If the USDOT does not work, then the car drivers advovacy group will then likely file a lawsuit against the PANYNJ. Here their press statement sent today 9/15/11.

 

"In a letter to United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood, AAA New York condemned the upcoming toll increases by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as unprecedented and unlawful, asking the Secretary to join the organization in opposing the diversion of toll revenues to projects outside of the Authority's transportation network.

 

The toll increases are set to take effect Sunday, September 18th on the Authority's six interstate bridges and tunnels. Citing the federal Bridge Act, AAA New York called increasing tolls to pay for cost overruns stemming from real estate re-development at the World Trade Center, a violation of federal law (33 U.S.C. Section 508). AAANY noted that forcing interstate bridge and tunnel users to pay for unrelated and speculative real estate re-development costs establishes a troubling new precedent that US DOT should join in opposing.

 

Approved by the two Governors the increases will increase rush-hour tolls for E-ZPass holders on the George Washington Bridge up to $9.50, and cash tolls to $12. Subsequent approved increases bring the tolls to $12.50 for E-ZPass and $15 for cash tolls by 2015."

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/147216/aaa-calls-on-feds-to-stop-port-authority-toll-hikes

[N-Trizzy2609]

Even though the revival of the WTC is important the PA's fare hike was a little out of left field. They buy a gajillion PA-5 cars while some of PA-4s are no more then 25 years old and they want CBTC on the path system. Kinda extremely ambitious consider both NY and NJ is flat broke at this point. And why does the PA wants to raise tolls when they almost so high everyone just takes NJT into the city. The Port Authority is losing it, while their at it, they can also lift that dumbass no photo policy since all the trains with the RFW are gone now.

[FamousNYLover]

If PATH was going to be $2.00, it would have been nice if went to $2.25 to much MTA and Bee-Line local fare and maybe it could have upgrated all PATH turnstile to accept Unlimited MetroCard beside Smartlink Card and Pay-Per-Ride.