To The Reader’s Forum:

In response to the In Our Opinion piece titled, “Overnight Toll-Free Trips on Thruway Worth a Try,”

While the idea of removing tolls, even for a few hours overnight, may sound appealing, the truth is removing tolls on the Thruway would cut off the very dedicated revenue stream that supports safe and reliable travel for hundreds of millions of motorists each year.

The Thruway is a user-fee system supported by tolls paid only by the people who use it. The Thruway Authority does not receive any dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars to support the cost to operate and maintain its 2,800 lane miles and 819 bridges.

The Thruway Authority is committed to providing a safe and well-maintained roadway while keeping tolls as low as possible for our customers. This is accomplished by maintaining our established revenue stream and not putting the cost on state taxpayers.

The Authority’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan invests $2.7 billion into infrastructure- it’s paid for mostly by toll revenues, including nearly one third of which is from out-of-state drivers.

While the Thruway Authority doesn’t receive any dedicated federal funding, we are not immune from the challenges that exist in this current economy. The cost of construction equipment and materials is at an all time high and we are constantly monitoring the impacts of tariffs. The Thruway continues to operate in a fiscally responsible manner and we’re holding the line on spending.

Any proposals that require free or reduced tolls would breach existing bond covenants and negatively impact the Authority’s credit rating and ability to reinvest in its infrastructure. Breaching this violates statutory and constitutional protections.

Regarding toll collection, a toll bill is just like any other bill someone may have to pay, such as a cell phone, energy bill or cable bill. We use a variety of enforcement tools to collect every dollar owed to us, including toll bill violations. It’s critical to balance toll collection with enforcement to ensure that everyone pays their fair share. We have an obligation to collect every dollar owed to us to maintain affordable toll rates and one of the safest super highways in the nation.

We are committed to keeping it that way, and it’s achieved through toll revenue, whenever anyone uses the Thruway.

Frank G. Hoare, Esq.

Thruway Authority

Executive Director