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Toll, fare hikes OK’d for New York-area airports, crossings
Driving or taking a train into New York City and to area airports is going to cost more starting in a little over a month, as the authority that operates a large chunk of the city's transportation infrastructure raises fares to fund large-scale repairs and improvements.
NEW YORK - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Thursday unanimously approved a wide-ranging package of toll and fare hikes that will affect hundreds of thousands of commuters, city residents and visitors to the region. Board members noted that in addition to helping to fund a 10-year, $37 billion capital plan, the increases — estimated to bring in an additional $235 million per year — bring the pricing in line with inflation.
"We recognize that any increase is not popular, we recognize it's painful," Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. "We don't want to impose increases. But we must, on the other hand, support investment in our aging, legacy facilities. Our infrastructure facilities are, simply, subpar."
Among the major projects are multibillion-dollar terminal upgrades of LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty airports — the former famously referred to by then-Vice President Joe Biden as a "Third World" airport — a new AirTrain serving LaGuardia and a new monorail at Newark, and a planned replacement of the outdated, nearly 70-year-old Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
People paying cash at bridges and tunnels connecting New York and New Jersey will have to fork out an extra $1, while E-ZPass discounts will fall by 25 cents and carpool discounts will be eliminated.
Air Train fees at JFK and Newark will jump from $5 to $7.75.
Bus tolls will increase by $1, the first of five scheduled increases.
PATH base fares will stay the same, but multi-trip discounts will drop.
If you hail a taxi or call an Uber at the airport, look out for a new surcharge: $1.25 for a yellow cab and $2.50 for any other for-hire vehicle .
The increases would take affect in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.