NEW JERSEY - As New Jerseyans prepare to ring in 2026, the New Year's celebrations will be met with a sobering reality at the toll booth and the gas pump. Starting January 1st, the cost of traveling through the Garden State is set to rise significantly as two scheduled price hikes take effect simultaneously.
NEW JERSEY - As New Jerseyans prepare to ring in 2026, the New Year's celebrations will be met with a sobering reality at the toll booth and the gas pump. Starting January 1st, the cost of traveling through the Garden State is set to rise significantly as two scheduled price hikes take effect simultaneously.For the millions of residents who rely on the State highways for work and travel, here is precisely what you can expect to pay starting New Year's Day.
1. Pain at the Pump: The 4.2-Cent Fuel Tax Hike
Motorists will see an immediate price jump when fueling up on January 1st. This is due to a scheduled adjustment in the State Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax, a move designed to ensure the state meets its statutory funding targets.
- The Adjustment: To keep the State Transportation Trust Fund solvent, the "gas tax" is increasing by 4.2 cents per gallon.
- The New Totals: This hike brings the total tax rate (which includes the fixed Motor Fuels Tax) to 49.1 cents per gallon for gasoline and 56.1 cents per gallon for diesel.
- The Purpose: While the increase is a burden on the wallet, state officials emphasize that the revenue is explicitly earmarked for critical infrastructure repairs, including the modernization of New Jersey's aging bridges and roadways.
2. Toll Hikes: A 3% Increase on the Turnpike and Parkway
The cost of the commute is rising not just in the tank, but on the road itself. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is moving forward with its annual "indexing" plan, a strategy intended to provide a steady stream of revenue for long-term capital improvements.
- The Increase: Tolls on both the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway are set to increase by 3% starting January 1st.
- Widespread Impact: It isn't just the major arteries seeing a jump. Commuters should also prepare for scheduled rate hikes throughout early January at Port Authority crossings (including the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel) and various Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission crossings.
The Bottom Line for Commuters
For a daily commuter traveling the length of the Parkway and filling up a standard 15-gallon tank twice a week, these combined increases could add up to hundreds of dollars in additional annual expenses. As the state continues to invest in its transportation future, New Jersey drivers are once again being asked to pick up the tab.
