Golden Calls For Expansion Of Verrazano Bridge Toll Discount To Non-SI Residents

The following is a press release from the offices of State Senator Marty Golden. (Update [12:40 p.m.]: Councilman Vincent Gentile has also issued a statement demanding fair treatment for Brooklyn commuters):

State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn), following the announcement that Staten Island residents will receive an additional discount in tolls, is calling on the MTA to fund a discount for residents of New York City who travel over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on a regular basis.

Senator Golden is calling for a 58% discount from the $15 cash price, to be applied to EZ-Pass holders who travel over the bridge 3 or more times in a month. This would mean that an EZ-Pass holder would see their toll price reduced from roughly $10.50 to $6.30. This discount is identical to the discount plan currently in place for Brooklyn residents at the Port Authority Bridges connecting Staten Island and New Jersey, which are the Goethals, Outerbridge, and Bayonne Bridge, giving both precedent for a discount of this nature and statistical data based on the current plan on the PA crossing.

“There are residents of my district who work, visit family, and use the Verrazano-Narrows bridge almost every day to commute. They can end up paying more than $200.00 a month in tolls just for this one crossing. This is excessive, unreasonable, and an almost unbearable amount of money to be paying simply to either get to work, school or visit family members,” said Senator Golden.

“Today I am once again calling for a discount of 58% for all resident who use the Verrazano-Narrows bridge 3 or more times a month. This means EZ-Pass users would be saving over $4.00 a trip. This discount is fair for residents and not overbearing to the MTA. I call on the MTA to enact this as soon as possible. It shouldn’t cost roughly $2,500 a year to go from Brooklyn to Staten Island.”