What's happening
This bill requires the Verrazano-Narrows bridge to offer a discounted toll for Kings County residents who cross three or more times per month using electronic payment.
Why it matters
Significantly reduces commuting costs. for Kings County (Brooklyn) residents who regularly use the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, offering a 42% discount on tolls after three monthly crossings, which can provide meaningful financial relief for frequent travelers between Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Promotes electronic toll payment adoption. by restricting the discount to those who use an electronic payment method, potentially speeding up traffic flow at toll plazas and reducing administrative costs for the bridge authority.
Permanently exempts qualifying residents from any additional surcharges. imposed on the bridge in the future, ensuring long-term predictability and cost savings for Brooklyn-based commuters regardless of future fare hikes or added fees.
Targets support to local residents. rather than all bridge users, reflecting a policy choice to prioritize affordability for those most likely to be economically impacted by high tolls while maintaining revenue from non-resident and infrequent users.
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Who cares
Kings County drivers
Residents who pay tolls electronically and cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at least three times per month would qualify to pay 58% of the regular nonresident fare and receive a permanent exemption from any additional surcharge.
Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority
The authority would have to establish the reduced toll and prescribe the application process and required information.
Authority noteholders and bondholders
The required discount would remain subject to agreements protecting their interests.
Headline styles
Discount Bridge Tolls for Brooklyn
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.1534
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1406
Show 2 earlier actions
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Lower Bridge Tolls for Brooklyn
In Assembly Committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1744
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to discounted tolls on the Verrazano-Narrows bridge for residents of Kings county
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 553-j to read as follows:
§ 553-j. Verrazano-Narrows reduced toll; Kings county. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, but subject to agreements with noteholders and bondholders, the authority shall establish a reduced toll for residents of the county of Kings as set forth in this section, which shall entitle such residents to crossings over the Verrazano-Narrows bridge at a reduced cost of fifty-eight per centum of the regular crossing fare imposed on nonresidents of the county of Kings. In the event the authority shall impose a surcharge in addition to the regular toll for crossings over the Verrazano-Narrows bridge, such surcharge shall not be deemed a part of the regular crossing fare for purposes of this section, and such residents of the county of Kings shall be entitled to a permanent exemption from the payment of any such surcharge. The provisions of this section shall apply to residents of Kings county who utilize an electronic method of toll payment and who cross the Verrazano-Narrows bridge three or more times per month. Application for such discount shall be made in such manner as prescribed by the authority and shall contain such information as the authority may reasonably require.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05069-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to discounted tolls on the Verrazano-Narrows bridge for residents of Kings county
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill will provide residents of Kings County with discounted tolls on the Verrazano Narrows bridge.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the Public Authorities Law by adding a new section 553-j that requires the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (the "Authority") to provide a reduced toll to Kings County residents for crossings over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The amount of the toll must be 58% of the otherwise regular cost of a crossing. If the Authority imposes any surcharges in addition to the regular cost of crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, such surcharge shall not be included in the regular cost of crossing the Bridge and Kings County residents shall be exempt from such surcharge. This provision shall only apply to residents of Kings County who use an electronic method of toll payments and cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge three or more times per month. The Authority is empowered to prescribe the manner in which application for the discount maybe me made.
Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take effect immediately.
Existing law
New law.
Justification
On April 25th, 2014, Staten Island residents who pay electronically for crossings on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge were granted toll relief from the fifteen dollar toll imposed on bridge crossings. This bill will grant a similar discount to the residents of Kings County. Many residents of both Staten Island and Brooklyn work in the other borough and the toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge makes commuting to work an expensive endeavor. Providing residents of Brooklyn relief that is already felt by residents of Staten Island is common sense and will entice more residents of these counties to patronize businesses in the other county leading to enhanced opportunities for economic development. Ultimately, the bill serves to alleviate an unnecessary economic burden off of residents of Kings County.
Prior legislative history
2016: S.1468 - Passed the Senate 2015: S.1468 - Passed the Senate 2014: S.7490 - Passed the Senate
Fiscal implications
Minor loss in revenue to the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.