Health & Fitness
Legislator Carey: Reduce New TZB Toll For Rockland Residents
New City, NY (February 6, 2014) – Rockland County Legislator and Minority Leader Christopher J. Carey (R-Bardonia) is calling on Governor Cuomo to do for Rockland residents what he announced today he would do for Staten Island residents. Today, Governor Cuomo declared that Staten Island residents would pay a reduced toll of $5.50 for the Verrazano Bridge.
This afternoon, Legislator Carey proposed a resolution in the legislature calling on Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature to create a reduced toll for Rockland residents who will use the new Tappan Zee Bridge. The toll reduction would be directly proportional to the reduction provided to Staten Island residents who use the Verrazano Bridge. Carey also released calculations estimating what those rates would be.
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Currently, the toll for the Verrazano Bridge is $15.00 for non-residents. Staten Island residents currently receive a steep discount, paying $6 or $6.36, which amounts to 40% or 42.4% of the current toll. Governor Cuomo’s reduction of that to $5.50 would mean that Staten Island residents would receive a reduction of over 63% on the $15 toll.
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“I think Governor Cuomo is working diligently for Staten Island residents in finding ways to reduce their toll burden – and that is great,” said Legislator Carey. “It is my hope that he will do the same for struggling Rockland County residents. I am calling on Governor Cuomo to provide the same 63% reduction to Rockland residents for the toll they will pay when the new Tappan Zee Bridge is built.”
Carey pointed out that the toll for the new bridge is estimated to be $14.00. Reducing the toll by the same 63.33% would cut the toll by $8.87 for Rockland residents, and result in a new toll of roughly $5.13.
“I know Governor Cuomo wants to help New Yorkers everywhere, and I share his enthusiasm and belief in the need for a new Tappan Zee Bridge,” Carey stated. “However, I believe the same discount should be equally and especially applied to Rockland residents, who are now facing the prospect of their tolls rising an almost astonishing 300% - from the current $5.00 to an estimated $14.00.”
