New York State Thruway Going Toll Free At Night?

A New York Assemblyman is proposing that the New York State Thruway go toll-free overnight to reduce congestion on the heavily traveled highway during the day.

The New York State Thruway (I-87), which runs right through the heart of the Hudson Valley is one of the longest-running toll roads in the United States. Running north and south, the Thruway is a highway many commuters pay a toll to drive on every day as it is oftentimes the quickest way to get to work for those who have a long commute.

Commuters who drive on it every day wind up spending quite a bit of money every year on tolls which is why one local Assemblyman has proposed a new pilot program that is looking to eliminate tolls during specific hours every day..

No Tolls on the New York State Thruway

According to WRGB, Democratic Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara is floating a new program that would eliminate thruway tolls from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. The overnight toll-free window of time would likely get some of the long haul big rig trucks off the thruway during the day, which would result in less congestion and faster travel.

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The toll-free travel would only be for E-Z Pass users and could also be an incentive for commuters to drive to work earlier to save money.

Toll-Free Pilot Program

Santabarbara explained his two-year "pilot program" saying, “This pilot program is designed to encourage off-peak travel and reduce congestion while helping businesses and commuters save money. By focusing on smarter road use and ensuring New Yorkers see the greatest benefits, we’re building a better transportation system for all.”

During the two years, data would be collected on traffic patterns, savings, and its effect on the environment according to WYNT. Once all the data is collected it will be analyzed to see if long-term implementation is a good idea or not.

New York State Thruway Responds

After the proposal was announced the New York Thruway Authority released a statement saying,

"The Thruway is a user-fee system supported by tolls paid only by the people who use it. Removing tolls on the Thruway would cut off the very dedicated revenue stream that supports safe and reliable travel for hundreds of millions of motorists each year and shifts the financial burden onto state taxpayers."

 

It's unclear if the pilot program has a chance to start or not at this time but as more information becomes available we will update this article. Here is the full statement from the Thruway Authority...

“The Thruway Authority does not receive any dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars to support the cost to operate and maintain its 2,800 lane miles and 817 bridges. The Thruway is a user-fee system supported by tolls paid only by the people who use it. Removing tolls on the Thruway would cut off the very dedicated revenue stream that supports safe and reliable travel for hundreds of millions of motorists each year and shifts the financial burden onto state taxpayers. While we do not comment on proposed legislation, a bill that requires free or reduced tolls violates the Thruway Authority’s existing bond covenants and would negatively impact the Authority’s bondholders in violation of statutory protections."