Turnpike, Parkway Toll Hike Hearings Go On Despite Coronavirus

NEW JERSEY – Two public hearings are planned for toll hikes on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, even as New Jersey has shut down virtually all state, local and commercial business.

Public hearings on a capital building program that would raise tolls around 27 percent on the Garden State Parkway and 36 percent on the New Jersey Turnpike later this year remain scheduled. It's not clear when those hikes would take effect.

The hearings will go on even as the state also has banned gatherings of 50 or more. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Murphy said during a press conference on Tuesday that live streaming will in place and that it "was very important to me, and to us, that they not exceed the limits that we put in place." He also said he has "very little insight" into those hearings.

The hearing at the Turnpike Authority headquarters in Woodbridge will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Attendees will be asked to adhere as closely as possible to social distancing guidance, the NJTPA said in a release.

That hearing will also be live streamed. Details on how to watch will be posted on the Turnpike Authority website (www.njta.com).

The presentation will be recorded and available for viewing after the completion of the hearing, the release said.

The Camden County College hearing will proceed as scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Dennis Flyer Memorial Theater on Jefferson Drive in Sicklerville.

"In uncertain economic times, the Turnpike Authority does not want to delay consideration of a capital program expected to sustain tens of thousands of jobs in coming years. The hearing arrangements will allow that process to continue while protecting public health and without limiting public participation," the release said.

Because of these changes, the Turnpike Authority has extended the public comment period until 5 p.m. on April 3. Members of the public now have until that time to submit written comments about the proposal in order to have those comments become part of the hearing record.

Comments can be sent by email to NJTAPublicComments@njta.com or by mail or courier to Executive Director, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, 1 Turnpike Plaza, P.O. Box 5042, Woodbridge, NJ 07095.

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The New Jersey Turnpike Authority made the possible toll hike plan public last month, saying it was authorizing public hearings on "revenue enhancement" for the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.

The NJTA's board voted to authorize three public hearings "to determine an appropriate capital plan and explore funding to support those capital projects," Tom Feeney, a spokesman for the agency, told Patch.

Tolls are the major source of revenue for the Turnpike and Parkway, and NJ Advance Media and News12 said the proposed toll hike would be the first since 2012, when a 53 percent increase was approved.

"There is no specific proposal for the capital plan or the funding at this point. The Turnpike Authority staff is working on those," Feeney said. "They will be fully explained and explored in public, but there have been no final decisions made about what's going to be in the proposal, so I have no specifics to share."

Under the 2012 increases, toll rates on the Garden State Parkway increased from $0.35 to $0.50 for ramp tolls, from $0.50 to $0.75 for two-way toll plazas, and from $1 to $1.50 for one-way toll plazas. It is the third hike in tolls for the Parkway since its opening in 1954, and the seventh for the New Jersey Turnpike since that highway's inception in 1951.

The increases were voted on and approved as the second phase of a two-fold toll hike in October 2008, during the administration of former Gov. Jon Corzine.

Feeney said then that the toll prices were originally raised to support a decade-long construction projects package totaling $7 billion, including a widening of the Turnpike and the Parkway south of Toms River. The package also included the agency's $1 billion-plus contribution toward a new rail tunnel to cross the Hudson River.

However, former Gov. Chris Christie killed the rail tunnel project in 2010, claiming that the construction was certain to go over budget, and then redirected the over $1 billion dollars in revenues to other state transportation projects.

Here's what else you should know:

• State health officials said they believe the virus is "community-spread" in New Jersey. "Community-spread indicates that the coronavirus is amongst us," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli announced. Read more: Coronavirus May Be 'Community-Spread' In NJ
• The first person in New Jersey to die of the coronavirus was reported on Tuesday, March 10. Read more: First NJ Coronavirus Death, 4 New Cases: Governor
• The second person in New Jersey to die because of the illness was announced on Saturday, March 14. Read more: 2nd Death Due To Coronavirus In New Jersey
• On Monday, March 16, state officials announced that a third person in New Jersey died because of the virus. Read more: 3rd Death In New Jersey Due To Coronavirus
• Murphy announced that he planned to shut down all schools on Tuesday, March 17. Read more: NJ Schools Will Close Due To Coronavirus Outbreak: Gov. Murphy
• New Jersey's courts suspended all new jury trials until further notice, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said on Thursday, March 12. Read more: Coronavirus Throws Monkey Wrench Into New Jersey Court System
• State Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner announced on Saturday, March 14 that municipal court sessions will be suspended for two weeks, beginning Monday, March 16, to mitigate public exposure to COVID-19 coronavirus.
• The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission said it's closing its offices for two weeks. Read more: New Jersey MVC Shuts Down Because Of Coronavirus
• The New Jersey Department of Corrections is temporarily suspending visits during the outbreak. Read more: NJDOC Suspends Visitations To State Prisons and Halfway Houses
• The state also said it will no longer label the positive tests as "presumptive positive" cases. They are now considered "positive" and "confirmed."
• State Police said they're also looking to locate two FEMA assistance centers – otherwise known as "pods" – where people can be tested. One will be at Bergen Community College in Paramus and the other will be located at the PNC Arts Center on the Garden State Parkway in Holmdel. Read more: Coronavirus Drive-Through Testing In Works For NJ
• Murphy said he's also mobilizing the National Guard to assist, providing services to help bridge "capability gaps," augment the police and local personnel in transportation and traffic control and support facilities such as hospitals that have hit capacity or run into medical and technology problems.

How It Spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others. That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention always recommends taking preventive actions to contain the spread of viruses. This includes:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.