Sheldon Silver Proposes $2 Toll Plan for East River Bridges

By Glenn Blain and Pete Donohue

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Wednesday night proposed putting tolls on the East River bridges equal to the price of a subway ride, currently $2.

Silver pitched the proposal to his Assembly colleagues gathered to discuss the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s fiscal crisis.

A bailout plan drafted by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch recommends East River tolls matching those at MTA crossings like the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. Drivers with E-ZPass pay $4.15 to cross that span.

Assemblyman Richard Brodsky billed Silver’s proposal as progress in the bid to avoid huge fare hikes and severe service cuts the MTA says will be necessary later this year without a massive bailout.

“It was attractive to people who had problems with the other proposal, but there were a great variety of opinions,” Brodsky (D-Westchester) said of the lower-priced tolling concept. “We are in the process of building consensus. That doesn’t happen in one meeting.”

Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) didn’t reject the Silver proposal but wasn’t completely sold, either.

“Honestly, I’m still evaluating it,” Gianaris said. “This idea is certainly better than the Ravitch plan, but I remain very apprehensive about any tolls on the East River crossings.”

Tolls disproportionately affect the people of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, Gianaris said.

Proponents dispute that argument, saying any successful bailout would include higher contributions from many others, like bus and subway riders in the form of modest fare hikes.

Faced with a $1.2 billion operating budget deficit and no money for its next capital construction program, the MTA in December adopted a “draconian” budget.

It includes hikes raising fare and toll revenues by 23% – potentially resulting in a $103 price tag for a monthly MetroCard now costing $81.

The doomsday budget also would eliminate 21 local bus routes, shut down the W and Z subway lines and close a handful of lower Manhattan subway stations during the overnight shift.

Senate Democrats also met to discuss the Ravitch plan and the plight facing more than 8million daily subway, bus and commuter train riders.

No matter what the cost, some said they wouldn’t support East River bridge tolls, making it difficult for approval. Democrats hold a 32-to-30 majority in the Senate. No Republicans have expressed support for tolls.