Delaware River Toll Hikes Delayed

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Truckers who use the four Delaware River bridges have a little longer to get used to paying more to cross the spans linking southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania.

The Delaware River Port Authority voted in June to raise the truck toll from $2 to $3. The increase will go into effect once the new E-Z Pass electronic toll system starts functioning (7-12, p. 15). That was expected to occur by September, but now is not expected until at least November.

The port authority operates the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry bridges.

“We want to be real comfortable about things,” said Joe Diemer, a spokesman for the bi-state Delaware River Port agency, which operates the bridges and a rail line. “We need time to finish the testing.”

The port authority said it needs the toll and fare increases to fund $756 million in capital projects in its five-year budget plan.

Bridge tolls, which have gone up three times in the past 20 years, were last increased in 1992, when one-way tolls were implemented.

Tolls are collected only westbound heading into Pennsylvania.