NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway & AC Expressway Tolls to Increase Permanently on Sunday… By A Lot of Money
For the first time since 2012, it's going to cost you more to travel on New Jersey's busiest roadways. In fact, it's going to cost you a LOT more to travel on the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway, effective at 12:01 am on Sunday (September 13).
The increase on tolls, which was approved back in June, breaks down as follows:
- New Jersey Turnpike: 36% increase.
- The average trip will increase from $3.50 up to $4.80. - Garden State Parkway: 27% increase.
- The average toll will increase by 30 cents ($ 0.30). - Atlantic City Expressway: 57 cents ($ 0.57) average increase.
How much will your next trip cost you?
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has a toll calculator posted for both the Turnpike and Parkway on its website. This chart shows a breakdown by toll plaza as well. Click here to view more.
The new rates on the Atlantic City Expressway can be seen here.
Hearings for the toll increases were held this spring, as the COVID-19 pandemic began. The measures, which were proposed by transportation officials, were ultimately approved and signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy.
Officials say that the higher tolls will fund a $24 billion construction plan for the state. Those plans include the widening of the turnpike and parkway, the installation of permanent cashless tolls, and upgrading a bridge between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, this won't be the last time tolls increase on New Jersey's highways. Under the plan, tolls will increase each year by up to 3%, depending on inflation, starting Jan. 1, 2022, according to the Turnpike Authority.
And the State's Gas Tax Will Increase In Just 18 Days
And if you're looking to save money... we have more bad news as yet ANOTHER blow will come to New Jersey motorists in three weeks.
The state's gas tax will increase just 18 days later. The state's tax on gasoline will increase by 9.3 cents on October 1, reports say.
"New Jersey's gas tax had long been 14.5 cents a gallon but was raised in 2016 to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund, which otherwise needed to use all its funds to repay past debts. It went up 22.6 cents a gallon in 2016 and now another 13.6 cents a gallon since then, including a 4.3 cent increase in 2018," our sister station NJ 101.5 reports.
As it currently stands, New Jersey will now have the nation's fourth-highest gas tax behind California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, NJ101.5 reported.
For comparison sake with our neighboring states, NJ 101.5 breaks it down as follows:
- New Jersey's gas tax will now be higher than New York State by 7 cents per gallon.
- New Jersey's gas tax will now be 28 cents (per gallon) higher than Delaware's gas tax.
- However, New Jersey's gas tax will be 8 cents (per gallon) cheaper than Pennsylvania's.