Sierra Club Calls for NJ Turnpike Authority to Postpone Toll Hike Hearings

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is still going forward with public hearings about a proposed toll increase. The Sierra Club has asked them to postpone hearings and extend the public comment period because of Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 103. The EO declares a State of Emergency in New Jersey due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Public hearings are scheduled for later this week on March 18 at 1:00pm and 3:00pm and 19 at 7:00pm.

“The NJ Turnpike Authority is still moving forward with their public hearings for their proposed toll hikes. They are doing this despite the coronavirus outbreak and the Governor’s executive order declaring a State of Emergency. They’re pushing this through because they don’t want the public to come out and oppose the toll hike at the hearings. They want to increase tolls for the Turnpike and Parkway and use the money to widen the highways in South Jersey. This will promote sprawl and will not help people get to work.  It isn’t fair to continue to have these hearings continue when people don’t want to leave their houses during the coronavirus outbreak,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “The Sierra Club sent a letter asking the Turnpike Authority to postpone the public hearings and extend the public comment period. It is important to make sure that everyone has a chance to make their voices heard.”

The toll increases would be equally applied to all toll rates, including cash, E-ZPas, peak, off-peak, truck and car rates. The rate for a passenger car on the Turnpike would increase by an average of $1.25 and Parkway tolls by 30 cents. The money from the toll hike will go toward various projects, including full-time use of NJ Turnpike exit 19W with direct access to the American Dream Mall in the Meadowlands.

“The Turnpike Authority knows that they shouldn’t be holding these hearings. They are deliberately playing games to keep the public out. They are going ahead even though the CDC and New Jersey have recommended canceling any events over fifty people for the next two months. They know that hundreds of people would come out to the hearings opposing these plans. These toll increases will go toward highway widening projects in South Jersey, which will unnecessarily promote sprawl and increase traffic. These proposals are a big hit to our wallets because commuters will be paying more to still be stuck in traffic. Instead of waiting to hold these hearings until after the coronavirus emergency is over, they want to go ahead and hold the hearings to push the plans through,” said Jeff Tittel. “Widening highways continues the cycle of more traffic and more sprawl. This means housing developments being built in the middle of undeveloped, environmentally sensitive farm fields.”

The New Jersey Sierra Club sent a letter to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority requesting that the hearings be canceled and postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The proposed increases include a 36% increase for the New Jersey Turnpike and a 27% increase for the Garden State Parkway. This toll hike is estimated to raise more than $500 million. The money will support a capital plan that goes through 2029. There are 53 projects that will widen sections of the Parkway and Turnpike.

“The public opposes these toll hikes because it will mean that the tolls for the Turnpike will go up by an average of $1.25 per trip. That means that the average commuter who takes the Turnpike every day will be paying an additional $600 every year just to get to work. Widening the highways will mean that people will be paying more to be stuck in traffic longer. This means more air pollution from cars idling in traffic. Most counties in New Jersey received an ‘F’ for ground-level ozone levels from the American Lung Association. The fumes from idling vehicles lead to more trips to the emergency room and more risk for people with heart problems and asthma,” said Tittel. “A third of the children in our major cities suffer from asthma. Over a hundred children in New Jersey are killed every year by asthma attacks caused by ozone.”

With the money raised from the toll hike, both the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway will also get cashless toll collection, and full-time use of exit 19W. 19W allows direct access from the Turnpike to the Meadowlands sports complex and is currently only open on event days.

“People don’t want their toll money to go toward direct access from the Turnpike to the American Dream Mall. This mega mall was too costly to build and too costly to visit, and now they want New Jersey commuters to pay for a direct exit from the Turnpike to the mall. This is ridiculous. New Jersey taxpayers already paid for that interchange to be moved originally to allow for direct access to the mall and also paid about $2 million in road and rail improvements to benefit the mall. In addition, taxpayers paid over $1 billion to subsidize this monstrosity of a mall, its customers are being charged to enjoy it, and now commuters are being charged even more,” said Jeff Tittel. “The mall still owes taxpayers millions of dollars for their mega mall, and now they are taking more money out of our wallets.”

Governor Murphy believes this project has provided New Jersey residents with extraordinary opportunities for good-paying construction and building jobs, as well as opportunities for New Jersey’s business owners.

“These toll hikes will not help commuters in New Jersey. Instead, the money will go toward increasing sprawl and development in rural areas in South Jersey and helping the American Dream Mall. This money should be going toward smart transportation planning like reverse and flexible lanes and better traffic management. Commuters in New Jersey will be paying more money to be stuck in traffic longer. What’s worse is that the public hearings are scheduled for this week, which means people would have to risk the safety of themselves and their loved ones to make their voices heard,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “By holding public hearings during the coronavirus outbreak when most people cannot attend, the NJ Turnpike Authority is failing the commuters of New Jersey.”