Directs the New York state thruway authority to discontinue the collection of tolls at the Grand Island bridges in the Niagara section of the thruway

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Angelo Morinello

A 4488 directs the NY Thruway Authority to end tolls on the Grand Island bridges (I-190), lowering travel costs for locals but reducing the Authority's toll revenue.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

Overview

Bill Number: A 4488

Title/Purpose (as introduced): Directs the New York State Thruway Authority to discontinue the collection of tolls at the Grand Island bridges in the Niagara section of the Thruway.

Status: Referred to Transportation.

Introduced: February 4, 2025.

Primary Sponsor: Angelo J. Morinello.

Related bills (prior sessions): A 9863, A 4010, A 3388, A 11513, A 5614, A 6621, A 4489, A 2331.

What the bill would do

The bill directs the New York State Thruway Authority to discontinue toll collection at the Grand Island bridges—the two span connections between Grand Island and the Niagara region along the Niagara section of the Thruway (I-190).

In effect, tolls currently charged to crossing those Grand Island bridges would be eliminated if the bill becomes law and is implemented by the Thruway Authority.

Key provisions and changes (based on available text)

Directives to the Thruway Authority: The central provision requires the Thruway Authority to stop toll collections at the Grand Island bridges (no tolls collected on these crossings going forward).

Scope: Limited to the Grand Island bridges within the Niagara section of the Thruway; no explicit toll changes mentioned for other Thruway segments or bridges in the bill’s summary.

Affected parties and implications

Local residents and travelers: Potentially lower travel costs and fewer stops for crossing Grand Island, improving through-mjourney times for those crossing the bridges.

Thruway financing and operations: Removal of toll revenue from these two bridges could affect the Authority’s revenue, debt service, and capital program funding, depending on how the loss is offset (not detailed in the provided text).

State and local governments: Any ongoing subsidy or legislative budgeting adjustments would be needed to cover the gap created in Thruway revenue if tolls are eliminated.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Action required: As introduced, the bill would require approval by the Legislature and signature by the Governor to become law, followed by any necessary regulatory/operational changes by the Thruway Authority.

Timeline: The provided information does not specify an effective date or transition timeline; implementation would likely depend on subsequent legislative action and agency rulemaking.

Additional context

The bill has multiple related prior-session bills (A 9863, A 4010, A 3388, A 11513, A 5614, A 6621, A 4489, A 2331), indicating a pattern of interest in toll-related changes affecting the Grand Island bridges or the Niagara section.

If you’d like, I can compare A 4488 to its related prior-session bills to highlight how the proposals have evolved or differed across sessions.

Bill