Rockaway, NY – Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway) announced on Wednesday that she strongly opposes the MTA’s toll increase of 7% for all New York City bridges and tunnels. The toll for the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge (CBB) will increase from $2.29 to $2.45 for Rockaway residents who receive the EZ-Pass rebate, and from $4.75 to $5.09 for all other drivers. The MTA will also be penalizing drivers without properly mounted EZ- Pass devices in their car. Drivers with EZ-pass devices not in place will pay a toll halfway between the EZ-Pass rate and the non-EZ-Pass rate.

“As I’ve said countless times, the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge is the ONLY intra-borough bridge in all of New York State. These toll increases are unjust, unnecessary, and unwanted, and place an additional burden on constituents during a time of economic uncertainty,” Pheffer Amato said. “My bill, A.798, would eliminate the toll for the CBB entirely, and make sure we’re never subject to a toll increase again. My constituents use this bridge every day to conduct their daily lives - to take their kids to and from school, to visit their families, and get their groceries - all while having to pay a toll. This increase is another signal that now is the moment to re-evaluate the significance of the $14 million in toll revenue this bridge receives against the multi-billion-dollar MTA budget.”

This marks the third term that Pheffer Amato has introduced this legislation since she started in office over the 2017-2018 legislative term. The bill passed the Assembly in 2017 but has not passed the Assembly or Senate since. The MTA toll increases are scheduled to take place in six to eight weeks.