The MTA has proposed raising Long Island Rail Road ticket prices up to nearly four percent as part of a series of fare and toll hikes planned over the next two years.
The proposed LIRR fare hikes tops out at 3.75 percent, which translates to up to $15 monthly ticket increases or $6.75 weekly ticket increases for the longest trips, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Wednesday. Some single-trip LIRR fares could jump as much as six percent, but not by more than 50 cents, the agency noted.
The MTA board will vote on the proposal in January, following a series of eight public hearings—including one on LI. If approved, the hikes would take effect on March 19, 2017.
The proposed fare hikes are the same for the LIRR as they are for Metro-North. The MTA also proposed increasing New York City subway and bus fare from $2.75 to $3. Drivers may also see tolls increase from $8 to $8.50 for the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and $16 to $17 to cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, for those ineligible for resident discounts.
MTA officials said the fare and toll hikes are needed to keep the transit agency’s budget balanced. The hikes were broken up over the course of several years to make them as small as possible, they said.
The lone public hearing on LI for the proposed fare hikes is scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Hilton Long Island, located at 598 Broad Hollow Rd. in Melville. Those unable to attend can have their comment video recorded at the Hicksville LIRR station from 6-10 a.m. Dec. 13 or the Ronkonkoma station from 6-10 a.m. Dec. 15.
LIRR riders can also submit their comments through the MTA’s website, mta.info, where a chart outlining the specific fare hikes for individual train stations will be posted at a later date. Or, riders can also mail their comments to MTA Government Affairs, 20th Floor, 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.
