The executive order also directs Commissioner James Weinstein to request that the New Jersey Highway Authority suspend toll collections this Labor Day and implement an EZPass discount for Parkway drivers as soon as possible. It is time for us to recognize that the collective costs of barrier tolls now dramatically outweigh their benefit. Despite the best efforts of the Highway Authority, traffic is still, at times, a nightmare.
Congestion chokes the road every day.
What once was a model of efficiency has become a recipe for disaster. The acting Governor has consistently supported removal of the toll barriers if a responsible phase-out plan could be developed. Based on preliminary findings, DiFrancesco acknowledged that removal would be complicated because of the legal, financial and safety issues involved, but renewed his commitment to having his administration come up with a long-term plan to remove them. I believe that when all is said and done, doing what it takes to remove the toll barriers will be, dollar for dollar, the best congestion relief investment New Jersey has ever made. Labor Day is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year on the Parkway.