or, a screed on commuting through the Lincoln Tunnel. Just now, I left them this tirade on their Web site:
**This morning I spent the time between 7:15 AM and 9:50 AM travelling 25 miles to my office by bus. The Lincoln Tunnel, as usual, had cars piled upon cars trying to get into Manhattan.
This evening, I left the office at 6 PM and arrived home at approximately 8 PM, after being delayed because the buses couldn’t make it through the delays to get to the bus terminal at 41st Street because the Lincoln Tunnel, as usual, had cars piled upon cars trying to get into Manhattan.
Let’s examine your toll structure, keeping in mind that no freight train links exist into Manhattan, and that one of the principal charges of the Port Authority is to promote regional development.
We find that five-axle trucks, at the peak hours of rush hour, have to pay 30 bucks to use the tunnel. Off hours, this drops to 25 dollars, and should they forgo sleep and arrive overnight, they only have to fork over 17.50.
Meantime, that most wasteful road user, the commuter in his single passenger car, has to pay the great fortune of (drum roll please) five bucks during the rush hour, and 4 bucks otherwise. Let us keep in mind that this is a round-trip toll, since the toll barrier exists on the Jersey side only.
Now, if the Lincoln Tunnel were privately owned, the owner would charge what the traffic (pardon the pun) would bear. Given the current extremely overcrowded conditions during the rush hours at the tolls, a significant portion of which is made up of cars occupied by a SINGLE PASSENGER, we can safely assume that this is well to the north of the current charge of five bucks. As few eighteen wheelers can be seen attempting to use the tunnel during rush hour, it would appear that the steep charges they are being made to pay at those times is pretty much what their traffic can bear.
What this means is that Manhattan and beyond, with no freight rail links currently in existence, is effectively cut off from receiving freight from destinations west of the Hudson River at those times. Must be to promote economic development.
Perhaps this toll structure makes sense to someone. If so, I’d like that person to explain to me how the constant and persistent overcrowding during rush hour can happen when your web site features the following explanation for the fact that no discount exists for use of the EZ Pass during rush hour:
Q: Why is the “All Bridges Plan” discount program being eliminated? A: An underlying objective of the Port Authority’s toll pricing proposal is to ensure that prices reflect traffic management objectives that address traffic congestion. The commuter toll plans that are currently in place provide an economic incentive for people to drive at the times of heaviest demand and greatest traffic congestion by providing a price discount to frequent users. Simply stated, the current commuter toll discounts charge less to cross the bridges at the time when the roadway resource is most precious. The social cost of driving at these times is more traffic congestion, delays, and related costs. Given the relative availability of mass transit options at the trans-Hudson crossings, the new toll structure will create incentives to use E-ZPass at all times of day through its discounts, which will help improve overall traffic flow. The new toll rates will also create incentives to travel in off-peak hours, when the capacity of the crossings is not as limited.
Perhaps something stronger than the mere elimination of the discount is in order? Like charging what the traffic will bear? Note that the Triboro Bridge, operated by the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel Authority, charges $3.50 each way, or $7.00 total, 40% higher than the $5.00 you charge for use of the tunnel at the time when, as you yourselves so eloquently state, “the roadway resource is most precious.”
Those of us who use the mass transit options cited above would be most grateful for the drop in traffic that would occur if you realized the true value of the asset you own.**
I wrote the above & sent it off well after the above incidents occurred, when my blood had stopped boiling from having to waste so much time stuck in traffic for no other reason than that basic economics appears to be lost on the Port Authority.