Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Back in September, the New York State Thruway Authority voted unanimously to approve a toll hike that increases rates along much of Interstate-90. Those new rates officially took effect on Monday.
The toll hike will be 5% for E-ZPass holders, but will significantly increase the Tolls By Mail rate differential to a 75% differential above what E-ZPass users pay.
Another 5% increase is then set to occur on Jan. 1, 2027.
Related
"I think no one is happy paying more tolls," said Jack O'Donnell from O'Donnell and Associates in an interview with WBEN. "I know as a regular Thruway driver to Albany and back, I don't want to be paying any more. But I think the good news is this is the first toll increase that we've seen from the Thruway Authority in 14 years. Costs have gone up - costs the maintenance, costs of plowing. Just what we're seeing across the board in our own lives, I think the Thruway Authority was feeling the same inflationary pressures."
The Thruway Authority is, theoretically, independent of the state, which means the money paid by travelers through tolls should stay within the Thruway Authority. O'Donnell says that money from tolls will go heavily into the maintenance of the Thruway.
"We will see this investment go into road repairs, we'll see it go into plows, go into keeping the Thruway manageable for those of us driving back-and-forth," he said.
A trip from Buffalo to Albany used to cost an E-ZPass user $12.18 just last week, and has now increased to $12.78. In 2027, that cost will increase again to $13.41.
For non E-ZPass users, the trip from Buffalo to Albany trip will now cost $23.47.
The increase is forecasted to generate an additional $826 million of toll revenue over the next four years.
While the state went to work a few years back removing the toll booths along the Thruway, O'Donnell feels anyone who thought that one day tolls were going to be a thing of the past were "overly optimistic".
"There were some points a few years ago, where my understanding is the Thruway Authority was close to breaking even, but that's because a number of their bonds were coming due in out years," O'Donnell explained. "A lot of this money from the toll increases is going to go to pay off some money that was used years ago to improve the Thruway then. The state government and all these authorities is a huge bond pyramid, and there's a lot of give or take there. But it costs a lot of money to run the Thruway. It costs a lot of money to keep drivers safe, it costs a lot of money to try to maintain that upkeep."
While there are many that travel the Thruway across the state, is there any concern that these toll hikes could lead to more-and-more drivers finding alternative ways with traveling across the state? O'Donnell certainly doesn't believe that to be the case.
"One of the nice things is it's not just New Yorkers who are paying these tolls. People coming from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, all around the country when they come through New York are paying for this," O'Donnell pointed out. "While those of us who live in the state are paying a lot more of it, at least part of that cost is being picked up by others. I'd be very surprised if you see a lot of folks avoid the Thruway because of this. It is the easiest way, and also the safest way from A-to-B, so most people will keep using it."