Toll increases by the Delaware River Port Authority have made crossing the bridges unaffordable for many commuters as proven by the fact that the amount of traffic on the four DRPA bridges are lower than they’ve been in a decade, Assemblyman Domenick DiCicco said today in response to a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“It’s understandable that economic times have depressed traffic somewhat, but that doesn’t explain why DRPA bridge crossings are down 4 percent since July’s toll hike but traffic on the lower-tolled Tacony-Palymra has increased by 9 percent,” DiCicco said. “The DRPA has repeatedly ignored the people’s will to control spending and now they’re expressing their displeasure of the agency’s wasteful and toll-hiking ways by finding other ways across the river.

“People need relief from tolls especially in these struggling economic times when the DRPA is sitting on $29 million it wants to spend on projects that have nothing to do with transportation,” DiCicco added.

DiCicco also said the DRPA cannot count in PATCO to continue to have increased ridership despite a fair increase because some of the factors contributing to increase may not be sustainable.

“Gas prices have seen a modest decrease recently and while we all hope the Phillies keep winning, even with a parade, the Phillies won’t be drawing people come November,” DiCicco said. “Relying on unpredictable factors such gas prices and the popularity of the Phillies to masquerade destructive and never-ending fare and toll increases is foolish and drags on our economy.”

DiCicco led the opposition to the DRPA toll efforts as well as the efforts to reform the agency by introducing bistate legislation that would prohibit the agency from spending on economic development, control employee salaries and perks, and eliminate conflicts of interests amid other reforms.

###