Delaware bridge toll hike challenged

Plans to more than quadruple some Delaware River bridge tolls by the end of the year will put northeastern Pennsylvania at a competitive disadvantage and hurt consumers and businesses alike,
U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski has announced.
Toll increases planned to take effect by the end of this year would vary at the seven toll bridges overseen by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. The increases would vary by vehicle, but trucking companies would be hit hardest, according to The Morning Call in Allentown.
For a six-axle truck, the cash toll at Delaware Water Gap will rise from $4.50 to $19.50, costing some trucking companies millions more each year.
Kanjorski, a Democrat who represents the 11th District, renewed his call for Gov. Mark Schweiker to take action against the increases and said opponents of the plan may fight the increases in court.
Three weeks ago Kanjorski sent Schweiker a letter saying he should order Pennsylvania's members of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission to reconsider the increases and fire them if they refuse.
The governor passed the letter off to the commission, which sent a letter back to Kanjorski saying the increases would go ahead as scheduled.
The increases are meant to fund a $526 million capital improvement program.
Kanjorski said there's general agreement that capital improvements must be made, but said it's not fair that tolls on seven bridges, mostly in northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, pay for improvements on all 20 bridges the commission oversees.
The seven toll bridges are: the Interstate 80 bridge at Delaware Water Gap, the Route 22 Easton-Phillipsburg bridge, the Interstate 78 bridge, Portland-Columbia, Milford-Montague, New Hope-Lambertville and Trenton-Morrisville.