MTA bridge, tunnel hikes loom ahead of subway, bus increases

NEW YORK (PIX11) – On Sunday, commuters into New York City will pay a new fare hike adopted by the MTA Board on July 19. 

The new tolls at MTA bridge and tunnel crossings will be $6.94 – an almost .39-cent increase – for drivers with an E-Z Pass. Drivers without an E-Z Pass will have to pay $11.19 via mail.

“The modest increase in fares and tolls is a continuation of an MTA practice that began in 2009 in which small, predictable adjustments are made to fares and tolls on a biennial basis,” the MTA said Wednesday. “Due to the impact the pandemic had on (subway and bus) ridership, fare increases were temporarily put on hold in 2021. The toll and fare revenue increase for 2023 is projected to generate $117 million in 2023.”

A mid-tier rate is charged to an E-Z Pass account holder when an E-ZPass tag is not read due to improper mounting and the toll is collected via license plate lookup. 

Discounts for qualifying Staten Island residents using the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Rockaways and Broad Channel residents using the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway bridges will remain in place. 

On Aug. 20, fare increases will go into effect across MTA subways, buses, and commuter railroads.

The new cost for a single ride on the subway or on a bus will increase from $2.75 to $2.90, a weekly seven-day unlimited bus and subway card will increase from $33 to $34, and an unlimited 30-day bus and subway card will jump from $127 to $133.