Higher PATH fares will fund upgrades

Faced with declining revenue and rising capital needs, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey announced plans Monday for increases in fares on its trans-Hudson PATH rail system and on river-crossing vehicle tolls.

The base PATH fare would increase from $1.75 to $2.75 in 2011, with the average fare increasing to $2.10 from $1.30 given a 25% discount that will be retained. The 30-day unlimited pass will increase to $89 from $54.

The agency said it will return 100% of the revenue from the proposed PATH fare increase back to the PATH system “to complete projects that willreplace 340 PATH cars, replace the 100-year-old signal system and duct bank network, upgrade PATH security with tunnel hardening and flood mitigation measures, and rehabilitate the system’s aging stations, including new 10-car platforms.”

The proposed new toll structure imposes the greatest increase on cash users and trucks that cause the most congestion and wear and tear. Tolls for autos using E-ZPass on the Port Authority’s crossings will increase from $6 to $10 roundtrip for off-peak travel and from $8 to $12 in peak hours. A planned surcharge of $3 will increase the cash rate from $8 to $15.

The Port Authority said proposed increase come after three-consecutive years of zero percent growth in operating expenses and a $5 billion cut in capital projects, with billions more deferred.