Doing away with tolls would carry benefits

Your article regarding the proposed toll increase (“Turnpike Authority Approves Toll Hike,” News Transcript, Oct. 15) was very informative. Tolls in New Jersey have been around for over 50 years, thus suggesting that they are necessary.

But gasoline taxes have been around even longer and serve the same purpose as tolls, but are far less expensive to collect. So why do we have both? Well, the Garden State Parkway was built with private funds that were supported by tolls. Drivers were told that tolls would cease when the parkway was paid off, around 1970.

But we know what has happened since. Tolls have become a large business, with lucrative jobs given to political cronies. E-ZPass alone cost about $500 million; and ongoing costs – such as account mailings and the replacement of transponders – are huge.

So what benefit would the elimination of tolls have? It will result in a large decrease in collection costs. And revenue shortfalls can be made up by a much smaller increase in the gasoline tax, which has not gone up in over 20 years. Another benefit will be the addition of matching federal highway funds, which toll roads aren’t eligible for.

It will also be fairer since drivers on toll roads will no longer subsidize non-toll-road drivers. This is because gasoline taxes are not used for toll roads, thus representing double taxation. And while side benefits will be a reduction in congestion, pollution and wasted gasoline usage, a greater benefit may be one of safety.

How many of us have witnessed a driver backing out of an E-ZPass lane? Even entering a toll plaza can be a dangerous challenge as many drivers race into toll plazas and then think nothing of cutting off others as they seek the best lane. One can only imagine what a nightmare driving to Florida would be if parkway-type tolls existed south of Maryland. In fact, many states don’t even have tolls.
Bob Ahlers
Lakewood