2 years ago
You are now paying more to drive on the New York State Thruway. But some Western New Yorkers are wondering why the cost to cross the Grand Island Bridge is even higher than hikes elsewhere.
On a day when tolls went up ten percent, those using the Grand Island bridges found themselves shelling out an extra quarter to cross. Tolls there went from 75 cents to a dollar.
"I think it's unconscionable what they're doing and it needs to be stopped," said activist Rus Thompson, who has been fighting the Grand Island tolls. "Two years ago they raised the tolls from fifty cents to 75 cents. Now this year they go from 75 to a dollar. So if you look at that as a percentage, our tolls have increased 100 percent in two years," said Thompson.
"The cash increase at the bridges and barriers is slightly higher due to the fact those rates are rounded to the next quarter," said Thruway Authority spokesperson Betsy Graham. "It has always been the policy."
"We've been talking about this," added Graham. "It's not like it hasn't been out there. Perhaps we could've done a better job talking about it. But I don't think it was anything intentional."
The Thruway authority says there are no more proposed increases for the cash rate on the Grand Island bridges over the next two years, although a ten percent hike is proposed for travelers on the Thruway. As for E-Z pass, there is no proposed rate hike for Grand Island residents using E-Z pass, and the commuter plan is proposed to increase three cents in the next two years.
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