Tolls rising again on the Downbeach Express connecting Margate and Northfield. Cost to cross the span will increase by 25 cents starting Wed, June 1.
Cars and light trucks will pay $2.25 per trip, up from $2 bucks.
Class 1 Express Pass holders will pay $1.65.
Ole Hansen and Sons claims the toll hike is needed in order to maintain the 4 bridges and 2 miles of roadway.
Ole Hansen and Sons is the parent company of the Margate Bridge Company, which owns and operates the Downbeach Express.
The Downbeach Express connects Margate with Northfield.
Too much to pay. if he needed to raise them, it should’ve been maybe a dime.
The road and bridge is like crap to begin with. The money is going for what.
This is outrageous. $4.50 to go round trip. Longport here I come.
Brilliant. So then they will spend a huge amount of time giving people 90 cents of change and backing things up.
Is toll hike for bridge maintenance or to fund the halfway houses that Hanson family finances and probably get x5 tax credits) that are all over Ventnor and AC, but interesting not in Margate and Longport where the Hanson family reside
First of all they’re not halfway houses they are Sober Living homes, so first you should educate yourself .
the reality is, they don’t need funding for the bridges. Taxpayers living next to these “sober living’ joints report total disregard for their neighbors community because they are transients and really don’t have to care
Really? Please cite the specifics and police report numbers from these sites your claiming as “total disregard”. Sounds like YOU don’t like them and are extending your beliefs as facts claimed by others.
They ‘re not Transients. The People who reside in Sober Homes have to have a job and pay rent and go to meetings. So before you call someone Transient do some research. By the way those so called people you call Transients could be your Doctor. your Lawyer, your child’s teacher, your priest or rabbi, etc. I hope your never touched by someone close who may need to live in a Sober House.
With the money the Hansen’s have and the volume of traffic going over the bridge, a toll hike is really needed? An audit should be done, but that may not even solve the greed.
Perhaps then, you should simply buy the bridge and charge whatever reduced tolls you’d like.
I have a pass for the Margate bridge but try to avoid it when possible
Start using the free bridges. NOW
Total greed as the road and bridge are in poor condition. Avoid this bridge and opt for free access!
You answered your own whine – the conditions in the bridge need improving. The additional tolls help support that, as well as their other rising costs like insurance, labor, lighting et.
I am not in favor of a bridge toll increase but it does cost a lot of money to keep bridges and roadways in safe and useable shape. The other way I look at it is if you drive to the Longport bridge it is probably at least a 5 mile add on to your trip, with gas prices and what you figure the added 15-20 minutes of your time are worth, a quarter does not seem to bad to me for convenience.
And coming over the Dorsett bridge cost you even more of your precious time.
I still call the 17 mile marker toll on the expressway the 2 dollar toll when it is actually the 4.25 toll now.
This is pure greed. I’d go 20 miles outa my before I paid these thieves.
You must be a financial genius. So you’d spend $4-5 on a gallon or two of gas to drive that 20 miles and take half and hour of your time each way. That’s like cutting off your hands to avoid washing them.
It’s the principle for me too.
All I’m saying is it’s seems greedy. The end. Be well.
its ok, the big guy says inflation is transitory, the toll will go down soon
when do you think that will occur? I hope sooner rather than later ;)
Jennifer
I’ll drive 20 miles just for the principal of the increase. BS!
Life is too short. Everyone complaining should get an Express Pass, the toll is $1.65.
The Downbeach Express website referenced above shows 6/2019 fare schedule when cars paid $1.40. Furthermore, their HOTLINE at 609-965-5174 belongs to a drug and alcohol facility. Guess they don’t want any bothersome telephone calls from customers.
Drive quickly over these 4 crumbling bridges I would know as a recent ex employee they don’t have many years left