Split Tolling Coming to Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

Split tolling will begin at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (VNB) on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, when vehicles will be charged half of the previous toll charges, but will have to pay this amount in each direction. The return to split tolling is in accordance with federal law.

When the VNB originally opened in 1964, a toll was collected in both directions. Since 1986, one-way tolling was implemented, by which toll collection in the eastbound (to Brooklyn) direction was eliminated, and tolls in the westbound (to Staten Island) direction were doubled. This was done in order to reduce the wait on the lines and the delays at the eastbound toll plaza in Staten Island.

As E-ZPass was subsequently introduced and cashless tolling was added more recently, the MTA is eliminating the one-way tolls, where the vehicle was charged double in the west bound direction. By re-introducing split tolls, motorists will be charged half of the total toll when traveling eastbound, and half when traveling westbound.

Split tolling will not change the effective round-trip toll, and only the location of toll collection is changing. Motorists will see that the toll amount collected charged to their E-ZPass accounts or billed via Tolls by Mail.

Currently, E-ZPass cutomers are charged $12.24 when traveling westbound, and the new charges will be $6.12 in each direction. Toll by Mail is currently $19.00, which will change to $9.50 in each direction.

Staten Island residents, who may receive discounted rates, will see it change from $5.50 to $2.75 in each direction. Staten Island Resident Carpool Plan HOV E-ZPass will change from $3.40 to $1.70 in each direction.

Once split tolling is implemented, the eligibility threshold for the VNB Commercial Rebate Program will increase to 21 trips per month, which must be made by trucks and other commercial vehicles using the same NYCSC E-ZPass account to cross the VNB in either direction.