By Josh Williams
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER MANHATTAN — Tolls on the Verrazano Bridge could possibly be removed altogether under a bill being considered by Congressman Jerrold Nadler meant to ease traffic congestion in Lower Manhattan.
The thoroughfare to Staten Island, which costs $11 to use, has long been blamed for increased use of the Holland Tunnel by commuters hoping to dodge the steep toll on their way home.
Now, Nadler says he is considering either ending the toll completely or removing cash booths to institute free-flowing E-Z pass lanes.
“There are currently legislative solutions being looked at to fix this problem," said Nadler's district director Robert Gottheim.
The toll on the Verrazano was originally put in place in 1986 to deter diesel trucks from clogging traffic and polluting the air in Staten Island. It currently costs a car $11 to cross over to the city's fifth borough, while there is no charge heading back into Brooklyn.
