To publicize the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge toll booth removal project, the MTA sent along the above photo earlier this week. Taken by Operations Superintendent Marc Levy, it shows toll both number 1, unused since 1986, being hoisted away. Crews will begin to remove the next series of booths this weekend, and traffic patterns on the bridge will change accordingly.
As I noted a few weeks ago, the removal is part of a $2.5-million project aimed at eliminating congestion and bottlenecks at the east-bound entrance to the bridge. The toll booths have been idle for nearly 25 years, and although many believe the MTA should restore two-way tolling on the bridge to cut down on traffic across Canal St., the MTA has opted instead to improve bridge traffic by doing away with the booths altogether.