© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Thruway Authority to meet after delay

The New York State Thruway Authority will hold a meeting Tuesday, after postponing a meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon. While there’s no official agenda, opponents of a toll hike on trucks believe the board will vote on the issue at the meeting.

The Friday meeting was shelved after critics accused the Thruway Authority of trying to bury bad news.  

While there’s still no agenda listed, Brian Sampson, with the pro-business group Unshackle Upstate, says he still thinks the board is preparing to approve the toll hike.  And he says even though the increase is for trucks, all New Yorkers will end up paying more for consumer goods.

“It’s going to come down to us as taxpayers,” said Sampson. “That’s what’s really disturbing,” he said, explaining that most consumer goods reach stores via trucks.

The Thruway Authority, during public hearings this summer, said trucks cause far more damage to the toll roads than do cars, so they should have to pay more.

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.