Paradise Island bridge fee rises to $2 for cars from March 1

As of Monday, January 25, 2016

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

TOLLS for the Paradise Island bridge are to double for private vehicles from March 1, it was announced on Monday. The rise to $2 marks the first increase in 17 years for the Sir Sidney Poitier bridge.

Chairman of the Bridge Authority of the Bahamas, Rory Higgs, revealed the plans to increase fees for private vehicles from $1 to $2 effective March 1, 2016. He said the decision was made after lengthy discussions between stakeholders.

The fee increase will come with repair efforts aiming to extend the life of the eastern bridge by 25 years.

See tomorrow's Tribune for full details

hurricane 8 years, 3 months ago

100% increase??????!!!!! The Bahamas is quickly becoming a place that is out of control. Who can afford to live here????!

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

You are living here aren't you ?

TruePeople 8 years, 3 months ago

correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the toll to cover the cost of construction....? i'm sure that cost is covered by now and it makes sense to charge something for maintenance... but how much maintenance does this bridge need / receive?

Is this another cash grab or is there some kind of desire to keep locals off Paradise Island? Sorry for all the people who got to work over there now spending double to get to work

Greentea 8 years, 3 months ago

only in the Bahamas do taxes go up not 5 or 6 percent, but 100 percent without even a wink or public consultation or explanation in fact. this is a dictatorship disguised as a democracy.

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

No, that's called governing. The Government do not have to consult or ask permission or get approval from the public for every little thing. Beside this bridge is not owned by the government. Get your facts straight before you run you big mouth. richlkemp.com

Bahamian00 8 years, 3 months ago

That is dictatorship.

TruePeople 8 years, 3 months ago

A dictatorial Government is one that doesn't ask the people, because dictatorial governments don't represent the people... only themselves

jackbnimble 8 years, 3 months ago

I was just saying I'm going to stop going over there. They made sure that the little free parking that was in place is now gone. Everywhere is a tow-away zone and the price to park (valet or per hour) is ridiculous! Now this?? I agree that they want to keep locals away.

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

Perhaps that the idea, increase the fee to keep the UNDESIRABLES out. In the US and here some residential communities are governed by Home Owner Association ( HOA ) FEES...those fees are high to keep certain type of folks from moving into that community. It's their way of being racist... legally...but living in such communities has it benefits. The fees are for life and they can raise the fees anytime without your permission. WELCOME TO LIFE IN THE BAHAMAS.

Bahamian00 8 years, 3 months ago

And employees too?

Bahamian00 8 years, 3 months ago

Ok, and employees?

TruePeople 8 years, 3 months ago

Powers at be want to squeeze the employed Bahamians more, cus you already know the unemployed Bahamians is strapped for cash.... no use extorting them...

Sickened 8 years, 3 months ago

Yes, but unfortunately the undesirables get legitimated by the PLP and move in anyway... with their hummers, 'boyz' and whores! They speed around corners where children are playing and they rent out their places for cheap to gang members who end up stealing boats from the same community and point their guns at security and threaten their lives if they call the police. Those animals are the UNDESIRABLES gated communities try to keep out.

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

The locals are LOCAL...ask a Spanish speaking person what that means...u people !

sheeprunner12 8 years, 3 months ago

Where does the money from the bridge tolls go???????? What is the history of the use of the funds since the construction of the bridge???????? Until these questions are publicly answered by the Bridge Authority, Bahamians should refuse to pay this new toll....... this is ludicrous .................. is this a new source of PLP government revenue??????????????

asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

Where does this money go? It would be very interesting to see the accounts for the bridge. Public money was used to build these bridges so I think the Bahamian people have every right to see and study where all the money goes!

banker 8 years, 3 months ago

The bridge was paid off over 10 years ago. In 2008, I knew for a fact that they took in $16 million. Where is the money going?

BahamaPundit 8 years, 3 months ago

So, who owns the bridges? The public has a right to know. Investigative reporting please.

asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

Also Bahamas, remember when they said there would not be any inflation due to VAT? Just ANOTHER LIE, that's what this government does, LIE!

TalRussell 8 years, 3 months ago

At a $1 Toll Fee this was done among the world’s most expensive 1,500 foots bridges to cross.
Comrades how could you have skipped right by the Rory Higgs operative word - “stakeholders”?
Chairman of the Bridge Authority of the Bahamas, Rory Higgs, revealed the plans to increase fees for private vehicles from $1 to $2 effective March 1, 2016. He said the decision was made after lengthy discussions between stakeholders".
Exactly who are the “stakeholders" - government or private funding?
Has it been taxpayers or private moneys used to maintain the bridge?
Where in the hell did all that $1's paid in Toll Fees over so many years amounting in the many millions of dollars go?
Was there never a "Bridge Maintenance & Repair Fund" under any of the governing administrations of the two main political parties?
What about VAT. Is it being collected and paid into public treasury on on tolls charged?

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

Your statement of this being the world's most expensive bridge reveals your ignorance of bridge tolls. You obviously have not lived in NEW YORK...TRY CROSSING FROM NEW YORK TO NEW JERSEY WITH $2.00 LOL..LOL... I CAN TELL YOU ARE NOT WELL TRAVELLED, so I forgive your stupidity.

Sickened 8 years, 3 months ago

And obviously your not a reverend, using such hateful words in your responses. Go read a bible and come back when you have learned to be civil!

themessenger 8 years, 3 months ago

Its a pity Everette Banister ain't still around, he coulda set all yinna straight on dese bridge dem.

banker 8 years, 3 months ago

Where's Gorman?

asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

Bahamians will be dumb as usual and just bend over, take it, and not make a peep. Yinna must LOVE getting rape and pillage by our government!

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

It ain't the government FOOL...

Fitmiss 8 years, 3 months ago

@reverendrichlive....For some reason you feel the need to be condescending and rude to persons stating their opinion. The government may not be involved with the fee increase but as a constitutional monarchy, the government still has a say. We are not a dictatorship yet. By the way use your intelligence, as I can see you do possess by your comments, instead of venomous words.

ccthemusicman 8 years, 3 months ago

Wow $2?? I'll be parking my car on potter's cay and walking up the exit bridge from now on

reverendrichlive 8 years, 3 months ago

Man, if two dollars is too much you need to stay your behind in Nassau...

TalRussell 8 years, 3 months ago

Comrade "Sherlock Homes" ReverendRichLive of Tolls. In fact Paradise Island Bridge is but 600 feet in length from end to end. The New York Bridge crossing over to New Jersey is 5280 feet. Toll cost to cross over from New York is $15. If Paradise Island Bridge had been longer @ 5280 feet you would be paying a toll fee to cross over from Nassau to Paradise Island of $17.50

TruePeople 8 years, 3 months ago

Rev. Rich Life. Please you pay for us all. Thanks. When they ask for my 2$ i gone say my boy Rev. Rich Life done pay for me. Lucky i know people dem to whom money ein no thing cus the people i grow up with in Fox Hill still gern to church, still fullin the collection basket, and most of all, still suffering under the merciful gaze of God

ohdrap4 8 years, 3 months ago

buy comprehensive car insurance and life insurance.

if you dress up to go to a nightclub and survive walking back onver the bridge, nothing much will be left of your car.

TalRussell 8 years, 3 months ago

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OMG 8 years, 3 months ago

Yes a 100% increase and as always from school tuck shops to funds raisers to Government entities there is a total reluctance to account for expenditure and income. However here on Eleuthera 1 dozen standard eggs has jumped from under three dollars to over $4,00 , cement from $12 + to $15 ,once again increases by huge increments. Common complaint recently from visitors as to how expensive it is and how do people afford to live here.

TruePeople 8 years, 3 months ago

if the new is any indication, people afford living here by robbing and killing. The other option is slaving yourself out in dead end jobs and hustling tips off tourist

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 3 months ago

March 1st we need to ALL break dow on we side da BRIDGE and give em a price to move. If Bahamians swallow this they will swallow VOMIT too.

ohdrap4 8 years, 3 months ago

there is no shame in swallowing vomit, just take a second chance.

Mmantle7 8 years, 3 months ago

PAY THE TOLL FEE IN PENNIES (THE TINY ONES). Do not forget to count them out so you do not short the toll collector their fair share.

sansoucireader 8 years, 3 months ago

While they're doing their improvements I hope they remember to put in a toll booth for people with right-hand drive cars. Lack of planning. You either have to get out of your car or hope they have someone standing near the booth collecting the dollar. Just asked the lady at the booth about this last week and she said they "were working on something". I hope so.

Sickened 8 years, 3 months ago

just throw the money at them. They will eventually pick it up in order to get the traffic moving.

Mmantle7 8 years, 3 months ago

A dollar more is not much but neither is 7% VAT. However, when it is added up at the end of the month and then the year. You will see how much you are out of pocket. Ask yourself. What would you do with all that loss of income.

John 8 years, 3 months ago

I am convinced someone is advising this government how to put every financial burden conceivable on Bahamian people to make their lives hard as it can get. It is now cheaper to catch a cab to the airport than to park for the weekend. Despite the falling price of oil, electricity remains high, yet your government plans to add a bond tax to your light bill. Where is the money BEC is saving from the near 80% decrease in fuel. One years savings could pay off BEC's entire debt so why the need for bonds? Gas at the pumps remains unreasonably high despite the price in the US being under $1.50 in the US and expecting to be around $1.00 by June. Who is benefiting from this 'spread' on what gas is being purchased for and the price it is being sold at? Now the bridge toll doubles.

DisgustedBahamian 8 years, 3 months ago

More money to be wasted & unaccounted for.

sheeprunner12 8 years, 3 months ago

I want this Rev Rich guy to answer a simple question: at the average rate of $10million per year for 20 years, why can't the government repair the old bridge out of those toll funds???

This is another scheme of collecting taxpayers'money to sink in the Treasury black hole.

Any ass should know that every contract that is given by government now, at least 10-20% of that goes into the PLP re-election fund for the next election ........ and by the way who are the principals behind this bridge repair company???????????

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