Delaware River Commission Scales Back Truck Toll Hike

The Delaware River Joint Toll Commission said Monday it had decided to roll back toll increases on the seven bridges it presides over between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Associated Press reported.

The agency unanimously agreed to cut its planned hike in truck tolls to $2.75 per axle from $3.25, AP reported. That increase is scheduled for January 2004.

On Dec. 1, 2002, truck tolls rose to $11.25 per truck from $4 – or to $2.25 per axle from 80 cents per axle on a five-axle truck, AP said. Now on Jan. 1 the toll on a five-axle truck will be $13.75 instead of the previously planned $16.25.

The governors of both New Jersey and Pennsylvania had both urged the agency to roll back its toll increases. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey began negotiations to reduce the tolls after truckers and commuter groups protested the toll hikes.

The increase on car tolls will be rolled back to 75 cents from $1, AP said.

The commission was able to reduce the tolls in part because the governors pledged to take financial responsibility if the bridges were destroyed or damaged in a terrorist attack or other catastrophic event, agency spokesman Frank McCartney told AP.