For the second time since the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge opened, the tolls will be removed by the end of the year. The move became official on Friday afternoon as Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the state’s budget into law.
The double-swing-span bridge, one of two in the world, was opened in May of 1952 and took four years and nine million dollars to build, replacing the previous ferrying system.
The tolls were removed once before, in June of 1976 and vehicles crossed the bridge free of charge for the first time in 24 years. The removal lasted until 1996, when the bridge was widened into four lanes.
Now, just shy of 30 years later, drivers will again be able to cross into Gloucester without the toll—and it will likely happen far earlier than expected, as there are already plans for booth removal. “I understand that they have some contracts to dismantle the toll booths here sometime [in the] late summer,” said York District supervisor Phillip Bazzani.
Over the years, Bazzani has been ...