New York State Thruway

[empirestate]

Not only the PANYNJ crossings, but also the NYSBA ones. Local traffic will likely detour up to Bear Mountain or Newburgh-Beacon if there's a WB toll.

You think? Keep in mind the WB toll would be half what the EB one currently is.


iPhone

Bear Mountain Bridge is only 10 minutes slower than Tappan Zee as it is and, if one is going to Newburgh or north, Newburgh-Beacon is a wash. People will almost certainly take a free route if the time is comparable.

Wait, from where? The BMB adds 35 miles and 40-45 minutes to a Thruway trip over the TZB. For points between the bridges, where the times are more comparable, I'd bet most locals already opt for the BMB, toll or no toll. I just can't imagine, for people already electing to use the Tappan Zee at $4.75 in one direction, that they'd switch to the Bear Mountain if it were a matter of paying $2.38 in each direction.

[cl94]

From the Sprain to Exit 16. Google Maps puts it at a 10 minute difference with no traffic and, from personal experience, the difference is usually less than that.

[empirestate]

From the Sprain to Exit 16. Google Maps puts it at a 10 minute difference with no traffic and, from personal experience, the difference is usually less than that.

Oh, you're talking long-haul. I was looking at a trip from Tarrytown to Nyack. Yeah, like I said, a lot of locals (and I know 'cos I'm one of them) would already choose the BMB over the TZB in a case like that. And it's really not to do with the toll; I just plain don't like driving the bridge or the Rockland stretch of the Thruway to begin with.

[Alps]

Not only the PANYNJ crossings, but also the NYSBA ones. Local traffic will likely detour up to Bear Mountain or Newburgh-Beacon if there's a WB toll.

Not likely. Yes, eastbound is much heavier at that crossing than westbound, but that's still relative. It all still fits easily in a single lane. It's too far out of the way for most.

[MikeCL]

I know you guys posted about it already but like a month ago (lol I forgot to post here) So happy then FINALLY repainted the lines after exiting the New Rochelle toll booth it was always a mess of drivers not knowing what lane they were in.

[empirestate]

I know you guys posted about it already but like a month ago (lol I forgot to post here) So happy then FINALLY repainted the lines after exiting the New Rochelle toll booth it was always a mess of drivers not knowing what lane they were in.

And you think a little paint will change that?

[MikeCL]

I know you guys posted about it already but like a month ago (lol I forgot to post here) So happy then FINALLY repainted the lines after exiting the New Rochelle toll booth it was always a mess of drivers not knowing what lane they were in.

And you think a little paint will change that?

lol not hardly

[vdeane]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

[SidS1045]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Retaliation for MassDOT doing the same thing on the new AET system?

[kalvado]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Retaliation for MassDOT doing the same thing on the new AET system?

yes - except there are only that many people driving around Buffalo with MA tag.
I suspect a new trend of collecting a bit more tolls without increasing rates.
WOuld be interesting to find out the cost of interagency toll collection, though..

[vdeane]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Retaliation for MassDOT doing the same thing on the new AET system?

The articles reporting it certainly have been saying "take that, MA", but I agree with kalvado - I expect this is simply a way to raise more money without raising tolls.  While the Thruway will have fewer expenses with the Canal Corporation moving to the Power Authority, it is also losing the subsidies it had been getting from the state (and will once again be self-sufficient).  Additionally, Cuomo promised to keep tolls flat through 2020, so a toll increase is even more politically problematic than it ordinarily would be.

This will also have less of an impact on motorists with transponders from other states that it does elsewhere.  The Thruway's E-ZPass discount is only 5%, relatively low compared to other agencies.

[cl94]

A lot of people in neighboring states have NY tags for the Thruway or MTA crossings already, so I don't picture the out of state percentage being too high.

[RobbieL2415]

I have the MTA transponder.  Mainly just because I get better deals on the MTA Manhattan crossings.

[storm2k]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Still better than NJ which killed discounts for EVERYONE on the Parkway and Turnpike.

[roadman]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Retaliation for MassDOT doing the same thing on the new AET system?

Prior to AET, out of state E-ZPass users in Massachusetts never got a discount, and were charged the regular cash rate.

[cl94]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Retaliation for MassDOT doing the same thing on the new AET system?

Prior to AET, out of state E-ZPass users in Massachusetts never got a discount, and were charged the regular cash rate.

I've been saying this repeatedly on that thread, but nobody seems to believe me. The difference now is that the OOS E-ZPass rate is the same as it was before the transition.

[vdeane]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Still better than NJ which killed discounts for EVERYONE on the Parkway and Turnpike.

Don't they have an off-peak discount for NJ tagholders?

[cl94]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

Still better than NJ which killed discounts for EVERYONE on the Parkway and Turnpike.

Don't they have an off-peak discount for NJ tagholders?

Yes, they do, except off-peak is defined as weekday nights and between rush hours.

[Brandon]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

That's not much of a discount anyway.  Now, if NY tags had to pay full price when in Illinois...

[cl94]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

That's not much of a discount anyway.  Now, if NY tags had to pay full price when in Illinois...

Pennsylvania. Drop the mic.

[MASTERNC]

A few days ago, the Thruway revealed that they will begin engaging in the deplorable practice of transponder discrimination.  Non-NY tags will no longer be receiving the 5% discount.

That's not much of a discount anyway.  Now, if NY tags had to pay full price when in Illinois...

Pennsylvania. Drop the mic.

That would be extremely punitive.  They'd have to come up with a third fare schedule like MA.

[cl94]

Exit 23 is being reconstructed next year and retractable delineators are being installed to provide physical separation between the travel directions. A 20 MPH lane does NOT appear to be included in the reconstruction (to my dismay).

Plans: http://www.thruway.ny.gov/netdata/contractors/documents/d214520_taa16-39_plans-volume-1-of-1.pdf

[vdeane]

Looks like they also aren't signing the exit number for exit 1 from the overhead sign still.  Can't they just sign it "Exit 1/US 9W/Albany" like NYSDOT does?

[Snappyjack]

A personal gripe of mine, I thought that the sign on 787 towards the Thruway should say 9W/Southern Blvd or something to that affect. Technically speaking, you are still in Albany at that point. It always seemed redundant to me.

[Rothman]

A personal gripe of mine, I thought that the sign on 787 towards the Thruway should say 9W/Southern Blvd or something to that affect. Technically speaking, you are still in Albany at that point. It always seemed redundant to me.

Hm.  Also makes me wonder if more people head south towards Glenmont rather than north into Albany via Delaware.