Cross Bay Bridge Toll Discount for Broad Channel residents ruled constitutional (Rockaway Times)

FEDERAL COURT RULES TOLL DISCOUNTS CONSTITUTIONAL

January 2, 2015 By Rockaway Times 1

A federal appeals court has ruled that bridge toll discounts for Rockaway and Broad Channel residents are constitutional.

In the case of Janes v. Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Auth., certain individuals from New Jersey and other parts of New York argued against the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, saying it was unfair that residents of Staten Island get a discount on crossing the Verrazano Bridge and that Broad Channel and Rockaway residents get discounts on the Marine Parkway and Cross Bay bridges. The plaintiff’s claimed that although they’re not residents, they often utilize those crossings for work and personal purposes and it wasn’t fair that they don’t get discounts.

On October 17, 2013, a lower court judge rejected the plaintiffs’ claims that resident toll discounts were unconstitutional and the issue was then brought to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan. The appeal presented the question of whether resident discounts for some violate the plaintiffs’ constitutional right to travel or the dormant Commerce Clause. On Wednesday, December 24, the appeals court affirmed the original decision and ruled that the resident discounts do not violate the right
dormant Commerce Clause and are therefore not unconstitutional.