STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Tolls on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be split in half and charged in both directions by the end of the year.

On Wednesday, the MTA Board unanimously approved split tolling on the span with an expectation that the new tolling system -- which is expected to net the agency millions in additional annual revenue -- will be up and running by the end of 2020.

“We expect that split tolling will generate an incremental $10 million in revenue for the MTA on an annual basis,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye.

In order to implement the split tolling system -- which is now federally mandated following a push from Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) and others -- the MTA will need to install new cashless electronic tolling systems over the bridge’s Brooklyn-bound lanes.

“I’m glad to see the MTA move forward with implementing split tolling on the Verrazzano to close the loophole that has benefited out of state trucks that clog up the expressway every morning. Staten Islanders will soon see improvements to their commutes this year, without paying a cent more -- a direct result of the broad, bipartisan support for this change," Rose said.

The new cashless tolling systems will be similar to the ones used in the Staten Island-bound direction, with two sets of triple gantries, one located on the bridge’s upper-level approach and one located on the lower-level approach.

“The Cashless Tolling system on the Brooklyn-bound approach to the VNB would function in the same way as the system installed Staten Island-bound. Equipment on overhead gantries would read E-ZPass tags so that pre-existing E-ZPass accounts would be debited -- and for vehicles without E-ZPass tags, license plate images would be taken and matched with the applicable Department of Motor Vehicle registration data, and toll bills would be sent to the registered owner,” according to MTA materials.

The Staten Island Resident Rebate Program -- which currently carries an effective post-rebate toll of $5.50 in the Staten Island-bound direction -- will also be split in half, with eligible Staten Island residents being charged an effective post-rebate toll of $2.75 in each direction.

HOW WE GOT HERE

In late December, President Donald Trump signed a $1.4 trillion spending package that included a repeal of the split-tolling ban on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, including language to split the span’s $19, one-way toll into two, $9.50 split-tolls.

Prior to the signing, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge was the nation’s only bridge where tolling was controlled by federal mandate, a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill put in place over 30 years ago and co-sponsored by former Congressman Guy V. Molinari to address growing congestion surrounding the span’s tollbooths.

Rose spearheaded the recent efforts to re-establish split tolling on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, including a speech made on the House floor in June encouraging passage of the legislation.

“Thanks to the overwhelmingly bipartisan support from every level of government, outdated federal laws will no longer create traffic on the expressway and let New Jersey truckers skip out on paying the same tolls we pay every damn day,” Rose said in December.

TRAFFIC ANALYSIS

Split tolling is expected to correct the daily directional vehicle imbalance on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, decreasing eastbound traffic while increasing westbound traffic, with drivers no longer incentivized to only use the span in the uncharged direction.

WSP, a global consulting firm, analyzed the potential traffic and revenue impacts of reinstating split tolling on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

Under the current tolling system, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge handles approximately 112,000 eastbound and 105,000 westbound vehicles per weekday, a difference of about 7,000 vehicles.

According to the report, the implementation of split tolling would help correct this daily imbalance.

“Traffic diversions between the key crossings may occur because reducing the VNB westbound toll by 50 percent would be a toll-based incentive to utilize the westbound VNB and I-278 corridor, while adding the equivalent toll to the eastbound direction would be a disincentive to use the eastbound VNB and I-278 corridor,” according to the report.

With split tolling implemented, the report estimates a reduction of 4,325 eastbound vehicles per day on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, with 4,361 additional westbound vehicles per day, a net increase of 36 vehicles per day.

Of the 4,325 less eastbound vehicles per day, 254 of them are expected to be medium or heavy trucks. Of the 4,361 additional westbound vehicles per day, 489 of them are expected to be medium or heavy trucks.

However, the changes in total traffic volume are not expected to significantly impact rush hour traffic.

“The highest changes in traffic volumes would occur during the off-peak periods when congestion is lower and when the VNB operates more like a regional bridge and less like a local bridge, as it does during the AM and PM peak periods,” according to the report.

Of the eastbound diversions, 12% are expected during the p.m. peak period, 13% are expected during the a.m peak period, 24% are expected during the midday period and 51% are expected during the late night and early morning period.

Of the westbound diversions, 13% are expected during the p.m. peak period, 18% are expected during the a.m. peak period, 33% are expected during the midday period and 36% are expected during the late night and early morning period.

“Diversions are less likely to happen during the AM and PM peak periods in part because the VNB primarily serves as a local bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island, and because congestion along alternate routes is greater during these periods, resulting in lower anticipated diversions,” the report continues.

However, Sam Schwartz, a local transportation expert, reviewed the preliminary report provided by WSP, and said he is skeptical of the idea that the diversions would have such a minimal impact on peak travel periods.

“While more motorists may be more likely to travel longer distances and save on tolls when traffic congestion is lower, the diversions projected in the report seem too highly skewed away from the peak periods," he said. "We would like to hear a more in-depth explanation of their key statement that ‘diversions are less likely to happen during the AM and PM peak periods in part … because congestion along alternate routes is greater during these periods, resulting in lower anticipated diversions.’”

The Staten Island Expressway would see relatively small increases in westbound traffic and decreases in eastbound traffic, with the highest changes in traffic volume occurring during off-peak periods.

According to the report, the changes in traffic volume would have a minimal effect on travel speeds.

“Speeds may increase eastbound or decrease westbound up to about 0.1 mph during any hour of the day, with most hours experiencing no change in speed,” the report states.

However, if occurring at the right time, this slight increase could marginally improve traffic flow during the morning commute, the report claims.

“Currently, during the AM peak hour, the SIE is heavily congested and operates at a very low level of service. A relatively small decrease in traffic volumes during the AM peak hour may result in better traffic flow and thus better travel speeds,” according to the report.