DRIVERS who once relied on a clever backstreet shortcut to dodge a daily toll were met with an unwelcome surprise during their morning commute recently.
Previously, motorists found a hidden driveway at a service area was the perfect way to avoid paying a daily driving charge of $1.15.
A service station route was once a favored route for sneaky New Jerseyans to bypass paying the southbound Parkway toll[/caption]
But now the two-way road has been converted to one-way – prohibiting traffic from exiting[/caption]
But according to NJ, the driveway has since been converted to one-way, prohibiting traffic from exiting and skipping the toll.
The hidden driveway of the Garden State Parkway’s Connie Chung service area in Bloomfield, New Jersey, was once a favored route for sneaky New Jerseyans to bypass paying the southbound Parkway toll.
This driveway connected the service area to Broad Street, allowing drivers to avoid the $1.15 toll at Exit 151 Toll Plaza.
The clever hack was first discovered after the building was closed off some two years ago for workers to complete renovations of the service area.
When the building eventually re-opened in August 2023, the driveway became two-way, allowing vehicles to enter and exit.
This gave many drivers the idea to exploit this route and dodge the toll – which authorities say caused safety concerns and increased traffic in local neighborhoods.
After the New Jersey Turnpike Authority conducted a traffic analysis, they determined that this practice not only reduced toll revenue but also posed risks to pedestrians.
As a solution, three months ago, the driveway was converted to one-way – prohibiting traffic from exiting onto Broad Street.
Residents can still access the service area for food, but must now pay the toll to return home via the Parkway.
Tom Feeney, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, added: “That was not just a toll revenue issue, but also a safety issue.
“The parking lot and driveway in the service area are not designed to serve as a Parkway exit ramp.”
The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a toll road in New Jersey that runs from the southern tip of the state near Cape May to the New York border in Montvale.
It’s considered a major north-south route and its name reflects New Jersey’s nickname, the “Garden State”.
It’s seen as essential for both commuting and recreational travel, particularly to the Jersey Shore.
The Parkway, first opened in sections between 1952 and 1956, is a significant part of the state’s transportation network.
This comes as New Jersey recently confirmed it will be rolling out a new driving license change, with at least 11 other areas set to follow suit.
This comes as New Jersey recently confirmed it will be rolling out a new driving license change, with at least 11 other areas set to follow suit.
It comes as officials roll out a “new standard” for drivers and State agencies, with those in participating locations to get a mobile or digital license.
Non-driver identification cards are also going to be included in the new rollout.
NEW YORK CONGESTION TOLL
NEW York has become the first major US city to introduce a form of congestion pricing:
- Starting January 5, 2025, most vehicles will have to pay a $9 congestion toll in parts of New York City.
- The affected area is everything south up to and including 60th Street in Manhattan, where Central Park starts.
- Only the FDR Drive, on the east side of the island, the West Side Highway, on the west side, and the Hugh L Carey Tunnel which connects them at the southern tip, will be excluded from congestion tolls, provided you don’t exit them into Manhattan at or below 60th Street.
- The idea is to reduce congestion in Manhattan, improve air quality, and fund the MTA.
- The toll affects the majority of cars, SUVs, small vans, and pickup trucks.
- Vehicles eligible for the toll must have an E-ZPass, which will charge them $9 once per day.
- That toll will go down to $2.25 during overnight hours.
- Peak traffic hours are between 5 am and 9 pm on weekdays, and between 9 am and 0 pm on weekends.
- Drivers without an E-ZPass will be mailed their bills and will have to pay more – $13.50 for peak hours and $3.30 overnight.
- Motorcyclists will pay half what cars pay – $4.50 – during peak.
- Buses and trucks, depending on their size, will pay more.
- Exceptions include certain emergency vehicles, school buses, the disabled who are unable to take public transport, and those who transport them.
- Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times a month can apply for a 50% discount on trips they take for the rest of the month.
- Passengers in taxis and for-hire vehicles will have a per-trip surcharge added to their fares, working out at 75 cents for people taking taxis, green cabs, and black cars, and $1.50 for Uber or Lyft passengers.
