Governor Cuomo Announces Suspension of Certain Mta Fares and Tolls to Facilitate Evacuation

MTA working to ease evacuation for residents in Zone A and the Far Rockaways

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that in order to facilitate the mandatory evacuation of residents living in low-lying Zone A areas and the Far Rockaways, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will suspend certain fares and tolls.

"The only approach to a storm of this magnitude is to act preemptively. Waiving fares may be the factor that convinces some people to leave promptly when they might otherwise be tempted to stay and confront this hurricane," Governor Cuomo said.

The fare and toll suspension is effective in the following areas:

· Tolls are already suspended at the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge.

· Starting at 8:00 PM today, the following changes will go into effect:

o Tolls will be suspended on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

o Fares will be suspended on buses throughout the city.

o Fares will be suspended for subway and rail passengers at stations in the mandatory evacuation area.