New Jersey drivers soon will have to pay more if they go to New York City. And this one’s a double whammy.
Port Authority announced that new toll rates will go into effect starting this Sunday, Jan. 5. The toll to enter New York via the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the George Washington, Bayonne and Goethals bridges, and the Outerbridge crossing will increase $0.68. Drivers using EZ-Pass will pay $16.06 instead of $15.38 during peak hours and $14.06 instead of $13.38 during non-peak hours.
Some of these drivers are also going to be affected by congestion pricing, which starts the same day. This measure will impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District.
The reduced peak toll will be $9.
Here are some things to know if you plan to come into New York by car after Jan. 5:
What are the new toll rates?
Peak Hours
Weekdays: 6 a.m.-10 a.m., 4-8 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Off-Peak Hours
All Other Times
Overnight Hours for Trucks
Sundays-Thursdays, 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. the following morning
Will I have to pay the congestion price toll?
The toll applies to the most congested part of Manhattan, south of Central Park. It will vary depending on the time and whether a car has E-ZPass, which is an electronic toll collection system used in many states.
During peak traffic hours — that’s 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends — most cars, SUVs, small vans and pickup trucks during with an E-ZPass will be charged $9, once per day.
During the overnight hours, the tolls will go down to $2.25.
Drivers without an E-ZPass will receive bills by mail and pay more: $13.50 for peak hours and $3.30 overnight.
Motorcyclists will pay half the amount that cars pay during peak. Drivers of buses and trucks, depending on their size, will pay more.
There are some exceptions. Certain emergency vehicles, school buses, people with disabilities who can’t take public transportation, and the people who transport them are all exempt. Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times in a month can apply for a 50% discount on trips they take the rest of the month.
There’s also a little break for those who have already paid a toll to enter Manhattan at the Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, Queens-Midtown Tunnel or Hugh L. Carey Tunnel during peak hours. They should see a credit on their E-ZPass of up to $3 for passenger vehicles and more for trucks and buses.
Still, with tolls for bridges and tunnels from New Jersey set to go up in the new year, a driver coming via the Holland Tunnel during peak traffic could pay $22 even with the credit.
