George Washington Bridge to Go Cashless

By Matis Glenn

The George Washington Bridge is getting rid of cash toll payment options next month, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced June 9. An electronic system designed to capture license plate information and send tolls to non-EZ-Pass subscribing drivers has been in place for months, but has not been activated yet.

The 90-year old bridge, connecting New York City with New Jersey, is notorious for delays and pile ups. According to the Port Authority, the GWB is the busiest of its bridges, with almost 50 million East-bound passengers crossing it annually.

Officials claim that the new system will ease traffic by eliminating wait times for cash-paying drivers at toll booths. “We are extremely pleased with the activation of this best-in-class, all-electronic technology that will assure quick, accurate, electronic toll billing at the GWB,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said in a statement.

The change is set to be implemented July 10. Cashless tolling would bring the GWB in line with the Port Authority controlled Holland tunnel in Manhattan, and the Bayonne, Goethals and Outer bridges of Staten Island, which became cashless over the past few years. The Lincoln Tunnel is slated to make the switch by the end of this year.

All New York City bridges and tunnels – under the auspices of the MTA – have been cashless since 2017.

One downside to the plan is that the GWB’s carpool discount program will no longer be active, since the machinery cannot determine how many passengers are in the vehicle when it records the license plate information.

mglenn@hamodia.com