Berkeley Township, NJ – On Monday night, the Berkeley Township Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the proposed toll increases on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. The resolution was introduced by Council Vice President Keith Buscio and received full support from Mayor Carmen F. Amato, Jr.
Mayor Amato expressed his gratitude to Council Vice President Buscio for his leadership in bringing this crucial matter to the council’s attention. The mayor emphasized his solidarity with the council in opposing the toll increase.
During Monday night’s meeting, Council Vice President Buscio outlined his concerns regarding the toll hikes proposed by the NJ Turnpike Authority. He highlighted the fact that this would be the third consecutive year of toll increases on both the GSP and NJTP.
Buscio drew attention to the significant number of Berkeley Township’s residents, over 43,000, who heavily rely on these toll roads for their daily commutes. In Ocean County alone, nearly 186,000 residents utilize EZPASS, with more than 20,000 EZPASS users residing in Berkeley Township. Additionally, these numbers do not account for cash-paying residents.
Given the current challenges of inflation, including rising interest rates, gas prices, and the cost of food and energy, the proposed toll increase is seen as an added burden on residents. Council Vice President Buscio deemed this situation unacceptable, leading him to propose the resolution opposing the toll increase.
The toll hike is currently scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2024.