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An increase of 3% in tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway is set to take effect soon. This rise is not expected to face opposition from Governor Phil Murphy, with implementation slated for March 1st. This marks the third time since 2020 that tolls have seen a hike.
For regular users of the New Jersey Turnpike, this increase translates to an additional 15¢ per toll. Over the course of a year, this adds up to an estimated $78 in extra expenditure for motorists. Similarly, tolls on the Garden State Parkway will see a 5¢ rise, resulting in an annual increase of $26.
This decision to raise tolls comes at a time when New Jersey Transit has also announced plans to increase some fares by 15 percent during the summer. These changes are indicative of the broader financial landscape in which both motorists and public transit users are expected to bear the burden of increased costs.
The toll increase was approved under the latest $2.6 billion budget of the Turnpike Authority. A policy enacted in New Jersey several years ago paved the way for these modest toll increases to go into effect automatically. However, a proposed 3% toll increase on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway was originally put on hold after Governor Phil Murphy vetoed the Turnpike Authority's resolution that aimed to increase tolls by 36% and 21% on the turnpike and the Parkway, respectively.
Despite the original concern, Governor Murphy has expressed his intention to approve the current 3% toll increase.