Transportation Report: Tolls needed in Jersey to kill fund loss

[Roadgeek Adam]

Take a wild guess where.

Tolls on Interstate 78
Tolls on Interstate 295
Tolls on Interstate 287
Tolls on Interstate..<drumroll>..80
Can the South Jersey Transportation Authority with the NJTPA
More tolls on the Atlantic City Expressway

What brains we have. :\ - I have a question. How about instead of going to the feds, and making our lives harder, we toll 24, 55 and 42? We toll Route 72 across the Broad Throroughfare to LBI? We toll the Scudders Falls Bridge? The Route 36 Highlands Bridge? Raise tolls on current bridges? Oh, I have one, let's build Route 92 and Route 85 and make them toll roads! NIMBY should can it and live with it. We can't toll interstates, meaning we'll have to resort to using US Route 1, 130, 9, etc.

I have a suggestion

[yanksfan6129]

Could you please cite the report?

[Ian]

Those interstates are crowded already. If you put tolls on them, traffic will get worse. Though, that is not the problem right now.

[Alps]

NJTA taking over SJTA is a likely scenario anyway.

[Alps]

Could you please cite the report?

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100201/COMMUNITIES/100131036/1005/NEWS01/Routes-78--80-and-287-could-be-toll-roads-

[yanksfan6129]

Christie says he won't raise the tolls. Considering he claims he won't raise taxes (in fact, he says he'll lower 'em), I wonder how he wants to balance this state budget...

[mightyace]

^^^

The only other alternative is to cut spending.  Where does Christie propose doing that, or doesn't he propose doing that?

[Mr. Matté]

I keep hearing that my new gov. doesn't even want to raise the fuel tax here, but I don't see what the big problem is with even raising it something like 5 cents/gallon (but then again, I'm a just big-time liberal college student in Jersey so he wouldn't listen to me anyway). Raising it up by that much will still keep our gas tax less than Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania's taxes.

And tolling all the state roads (leaving out the federally-funded interstates out) would only cause more traffic on the side roads (124, 168, and 47 respectively from the first post) and/or lack of tourism dollars (on your bridges down the shore).

[hbelkins]

Christie says he won't raise the tolls. Considering he claims he won't raise taxes (in fact, he says he'll lower 'em), I wonder how he wants to balance this state budget...

I keep hearing how high NJ's taxes are (excepting, of course, the gas tax). Why, then, is the state in such rotten financial shape if the taxes are so high?

Personally, I think NJ should abolish the no-self-serve-gas law and put the difference between how much the prices are with paid pump jockeys and how much they'd fall without that expense on the station owners into a gas tax increase. Motorists would not be impacted and the state would get more gas tax revenue to work on the roads.

[yanksfan6129]

Christie says he won't raise the tolls. Considering he claims he won't raise taxes (in fact, he says he'll lower 'em), I wonder how he wants to balance this state budget...

I keep hearing how high NJ's taxes are (excepting, of course, the gas tax). Why, then, is the state in such rotten financial shape if the taxes are so high?

Personally, I think NJ should abolish the no-self-serve-gas law and put the difference between how much the prices are with paid pump jockeys and how much they'd fall without that expense on the station owners into a gas tax increase. Motorists would not be impacted and the state would get more gas tax revenue to work on the roads.

Several governors past have proposed that; frankly it's a bunch of bull...I think gas stations will continue charging what they currently charge + whatever the new tax is even if they don't have to pay for the workers. Or maybe the for a little while they'll depress prices a tiny little bit but over time the prices will trend higher than they were.

Besides which, in my opinion, having the attendants is nice because a. it creates jobs and b. the motorist has a service provided to him or her.

The state is in rotten financial state for the same reason that nearly every other state is in a bad financial position: a tough economy. Things will improve though.

[froggie]

The state is in rotten financial state for the same reason that nearly every other state is in a bad financial position: a tough economy. Things will improve though.

As I recall, New Jersey's financial woes predate the current recession.  So it's not just "a tough economy".

[vdeane]

Christie says he won't raise the tolls. Considering he claims he won't raise taxes (in fact, he says he'll lower 'em), I wonder how he wants to balance this state budget...

I keep hearing how high NJ's taxes are (excepting, of course, the gas tax). Why, then, is the state in such rotten financial shape if the taxes are so high?

Personally, I think NJ should abolish the no-self-serve-gas law and put the difference between how much the prices are with paid pump jockeys and how much they'd fall without that expense on the station owners into a gas tax increase. Motorists would not be impacted and the state would get more gas tax revenue to work on the roads.

States with high taxes tend to be less efficient with their money.

[cu2010]

States with high taxes tend to be less efficient with their money.

*cough*NewYork*cough*

Seriously, though, we don't need more toll roads. It's bad enough I have to pay two dollars just to drive forty miles down the Thruway to get home...existing tolls are getting more and more ridiculous.

[froggie]

5 cents a mile is pretty cheap.

[TheStranger]

5 cents a mile is pretty cheap.

Especially in comparison to about 70 cents a mile for any Bay Area bridge...

[Chris]

^^ I don't think it's a good idea to compare toll structures (bridges, tunnels) with regular toll roads. Fixed connections are always more expensive than long-distance toll roads. The Oresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden tolls a freaking $ 5 per mile. ($ 55 one way).

[mightyace]

^^ I don't think it's a good idea to compare toll structures (bridges, tunnels) with regular toll roads. Fixed connections are always more expensive than long-distance toll roads. The Oresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden tolls a freaking $ 5 per mile. ($ 55 one way).

Or even short distance toll roads.  The Chicago Skyway is $3 for 7.8 miles or 38.46 cents per mile.

Now, for a fairer comparison, I did a quick check of some tolls on the Pennsylvania turnpike and tolls run about 7-8 cents per mile.

[froggie]

Tolls on the ICC will be variable by time period, but overall will average about 25 cents a mile.

[Stephane Dumas]

Would they imitate Maryland with ETL (Express Toll Lanes) or HOT (High-occupency toll lanes) like I-10/Katy Freeway in Houston?

[Nexis4Jersey]

I don't understand what our new governor is doing , he wants to cut transit , but at the same time wants to expand it?  WTF , weird hes all over the place he wants to make AC a major family destination again , yet doesn't want to agnowlegde the problems in it.  He doesn't want to raise the Gas Tax , but he rather rise Transit Fares , i already pay 6.50 to get Hoboken one-way, is he mad.  He doesn't understand that 2.5 million New Jerseyites use Transit each day, and that its becoming more popular.  About the Tolls on some of the bridges to the Beach areas as long as its not ridicoulsy high i will pay , it otherwise i'll just hope NJT to Point Pleasant form Hoboken.  He talks way too much, and isn't even 4 months yet , if your going to talk about things do it or research it.  I don't like Govenors who also ignore certain parts of the state and there Road & Transit needs ie South Jersey.................ugh.......................i want scream....and rant more but i might have a heart attack if i do it.


~Corey

[J N Winkler]

Nexis, I was under the impression you were a bit young to be worrying about heart attacks.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Nexis, I was under the impression you were a bit young to be worrying about heart attacks.

I use it to measure my angry level , Christi talks about shrinking this and that , but doesn't understand what it will cause.

[TXtoNJ]

Christie says he won't raise the tolls. Considering he claims he won't raise taxes (in fact, he says he'll lower 'em), I wonder how he wants to balance this state budget...

I keep hearing how high NJ's taxes are (excepting, of course, the gas tax). Why, then, is the state in such rotten financial shape if the taxes are so high?

Personally, I think NJ should abolish the no-self-serve-gas law and put the difference between how much the prices are with paid pump jockeys and how much they'd fall without that expense on the station owners into a gas tax increase. Motorists would not be impacted and the state would get more gas tax revenue to work on the roads.

NJ still has generally in the bottom 5 lowest gas prices in the nation even with the pump jockeys. That's clearly not the issue.

As far as NJ taxation goes, most of the heavy taxes tend to be in property, consumption and the highly fragmented nature of the state (most municipalities per square mile of any state). The first step toward solving the budget crisis will almost assuredly involve municipality consolidation; this will most likely mean the end of the township-village-town-borough-city system. Separating school systems from municipal government may also go along with this.

The second step would involve the implementation of a more progressive tax structure; that is, one that less heavily targets middle-class property owners (such as homeowners). However, Christie will not likely implement such a policy, and the screams from Bergen County were this to be set up would likely be heard all the way in Philadelphia.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Well , i think he needs to address the overcrowded Highways in Northeastern Jersey , NJT had alot ready to go to shove a bulk of the Congestion , but he cut it.  The NJTPK & GSP Tolls revenues that feed some newer projects aren't enough , so hes basically put in a tight squeeze , becuz the Majority of my County wants more Rail and Transit , and it looks like hes going to bully people into nothing.  And my County will continue to get worse traffic is sometimes 24/7 like NYC.

~Corey

[yanksfan6129]

^^^

The only other alternative is to cut spending.  Where does Christie propose doing that, or doesn't he propose doing that?

Turns out he wants to cut $450 million in state aid to public schools. >