Nicole Malliotakis used the state’s Freedom of Information Law to force the MTA to release its analysis showing that two-way tolling would have virtually no increase in traffic speeds and that traffic congestion would be even worse during the evening commute. This plan would add more than 4,000 cars to Brooklyn roads and local streets in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.

In conjunction with the House of Representatives passage of the Rose/Nadler plan, the Port Authority announced its intention to take away the 3+ trip discount on its three Staten Island bridges and replace it with a required 10+ trip discount. By functionally raising tolls on Staten Island drivers, the Port Authority was clearly attempting to make up the $12 million in toll revenue that would be lost to the MTA by diverting traffic over the MTA’s Verrazzano Bridge.

And the MTA was more than happy to pocket this extra money, without providing any relief to drivers paying these tolls!

The bottom line is that this is a bad deal for Brooklynites and Staten Islanders. The MTA and Port Authority have always treated us as ATM’s. The only difference is, now our representatives in Congress are now helping them.

Don’t let the MTA and the Port Authority take advantage of us anymore!