Daniel Convissor's Website

Debating the Merits of Tolls on Roads

Dear Editor:

Your April 19 edition raises an interesting point in an article on potential fare hikes and service cuts for NJ Transit along with another article on the elimination of tolls on the Turnpike and Parkway.

While reading the road-toll article, we thought removing tolls could only be supported if NJ Transit also removed its tolls (train and bus fares). It is distressing to then see NJ Transit having to consider fare and service modifications.

Shirley DeLibero, NJ Transit's director, made several frank comments that are right on target: "Now is not the time to ask us to cut service or raise fares, especially at a time when people are talking about doing away with tolls on the Garden State Parkway or the New Jersey Turnpike."

If the goal of the road-toll removal is to reduce costs and ease travel, both roadway and transit tolls should be eliminated and roadway expansion projects scrapped. Funds for these purposes will be used to make transit service better and more widely available.

Transit is better than roadway transport for economic, environmental and social reasons. Transportation costs, fuel use and pollution will all decrease. Jobs and productivity will increase. The need to meet Clean Air Act provisions, buck the recession and support the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, indicates that removing only the road-tolls is counterproductive.