N.Y. Thruway Considers Boosting Truck Tolls by 45%

The New York State Thruway Authority may raise truck tolls 45% to help refinance its debt and pay for a $1.5 billion highway improvement program.

With such an increase, a five-axle truck currently paying a toll of $68.95 to run the length of the Thruway could pay about $100.

The authority has yet to schedule public hearings on a possible increase but the proposal — developed by a consultant hired to help the agency restructure its finances — was outlined at a meeting last week of the Thruway’s board of directors.

Raising truck tolls would help align Thruway charges with those in other states, Bloomberg reported.

Per-mile rates are 49% higher on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and 85% higher on the New Jersey Turnpike. Long-haul trucks make up 10% of the Thruway’s traffic and 37% of revenue, according to the authority.