Starting with Sunday September 1st, Tolls on four DRPA bridges which cross the Delaware River will increase from $5 to $6. This is the first toll increase in 13 years.
The plan was approved by the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Commissioner Board back in July, and will see the price changes on their four bridges; Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry, and Betsy Ross.
The DRPA Patco fares will remain unchanged. Also not impacted by the increase are the Tacony-Palmyra, Burlington-Bristol ($4) and Delaware Memorial Bridge ($5)… as they are operated by other transportation authorities.
As a reminder there is a DRPA toll discount program for regular bridge commuters. For those using EZ-Pass, when you make 18 or more round trip bridge crossings in the same calendar month you can receive an $18.00 monthly account credit.
in a July 17th DRPA press release it states that:
The revised schedule is essential due to the challenges of enhancing safety and security and maintaining aging infrastructure. It aims to provide the necessary financial resources for long-term capital projects, operational needs, and infrastructure upkeep.
… This is the first-time tolls have increased in 13 years for Authority bridges, which include the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry, and Betsy Ross bridges. The fares for PATCO, a subsidiary of the DRPA, will remain unchanged.
DRPA Press Release
The press release calls out that despite having a plan in place since 2008 to increase tolls regularly based on the Consumer Price Index, the DRPA has deferred increases nine times since then.
Obviously costs of goods have increased significantly over the last 13 years, particularly in the last five years or so… so that is one key reason for the increase.
Additionally, the increased revenue stream from the increased toll will support the DRPA’s fiscal stability and their ongoing ability to purchase products and borrow money at the most favorable rates. Government entities/authorities are monitored by external organizations for fiscal stability and the DRPA states they maintain a high/positive rating.
The DRPA currently has almost $800 million in capital projects approved for the next five years across all of the bridges and PATCO. This budget includes the new Patco Station at Franklin Square Philadelphia.
Some will remember that many years ago the DRPA would fund projects outside of its core transportation businesses. That changed via Board actions in 2008, 2010 and 2011…. which change those rules to prevent the DRPA from investing in projects outside of their core businesses.
I assume that this likely factors into why they had been able to go 13 years without any toll increases.
Links and Locations
Delaware River Port Authority