MAYOR ANNOUNCES ELIMINATION OF THE CROSS-BAY VETERANS MEMORIAL BRIDGE TOLL FOR BROAD CHANNEL AND ROCKAWAY PENINSULA RESIDENTS
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced that the toll on the Cross-Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge will be eliminated for EZ Pass customers who are residents of Broad Channel and Rockaway Peninsula as of January 1, 1998. The Mayor said that this move is a good first step toward total elimination of the toll.
"For nearly sixty years the residents of the Rockaway Peninsula have been treated unfairly -- having to pay a toll to travel from one part of their home borough to another," said Mayor Giuliani. "This is the only intra-borough toll in the City and, as far as I know, one of the only intra-county tolls in the country. For at least 20 years the complaints of these New Yorkers fell on deaf ears. Finally, though, we have corrected this inequity.
"Thanks in large measure to the partnership of Governor Pataki, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted yesterday to end the toll for residents of the peninsula beginning January 1, 1998. Starting January 1st residents will no longer be forced to pay a toll. Instead they'll be able to use EZ Pass to cross the bridge, back and forth, for free.
"In the same spirit with which we ushered in the era of One-City One-Fare -- freeing bus and subway riders around the City from unfair two-fare zones and costly transfers -- we're uniting the City under one fair standard and continuing to move toward a truly seamless City transportation network. Eliminating this toll for residents is an important victory. We will continue to press for the total elimination of the toll so it no longer poses a burden for businesses and other New Yorkers who want to take advantage of one of the jewels of New York City -- the Beaches of Rockaway," the Mayor concluded.
Though unable to attend today's ceremony, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman said, "Today's action is a giant step forward for residents of the Rockaways and Broad Channel. For the first time in decades, they will not be penalized for traveling from one part of Queens to another. I want to thank Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki and all those who have helped us reach this goal. I believe, however, that efforts must continue to eliminate this intra-borough toll entirely in order to spur economic development and allow the revitalization of the Rockaways to move ahead."
It is estimated that the elimination of the Cross-Bay Bridge toll will save a resident-family an average of between $500 and $1000 a year.
The Mayor was joined by Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, Deputy Queens Borough President Peter Magnani, State Senator Ada L. Smith, Council Member Alfonso C. Stabile and local residents.
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