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New York To Toll All East River Bridges
 The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is swimming in a sea of red ink and sources tell CBS 2 HD drivers in the city might not like the bailout plan. Nearly half a million cars go back and forth over the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and 59th Street bridges every day for free. Some people think that's not right. "We already have tolls at the Battery Tunnel, Midtown Tunnel, the Triborough Bridge let's put pricing on all of the crossings in between," said Sam Schwartz, one of the leading transportation engineers in the country. Guess what? State and city officials now seem to agree. Sources tell CBS 2 HD that putting tolls on some or all of the East River bridges is part of the bailout plan being considered for the MTA. "People coming into the city should be paying for some of the service they get," Schwartz said. Tolling all four bridges may be a heavy lift for Mayor Michael Bloomberg right now, which is why it's possible tolls could be put on just two. Another option is to have tolls only during morning and evening rush hours. Sources say putting tolls on all four spans could raise almost $1 billion for mass transit. "That's crazy," said Alex Shaw of the Bronx. "We're taxed enough. They've got to get the money from someplace else. Stop putting it on the motorists." Posted by: Fred 2008-11-09 |
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