It could soon cost more in the new year for trips to and through the Garden State.

The proposed New Jersey Turnpike Authority budget calls for a 3% toll rate increase, which has happened every year since 2020. This affects the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

A 3% increase to a trip from Edison to Exit 98 in Wall Township along the Parkway would mean a 9-cent increase, bringing the one-way total to $3.02.

But a more expensive trip, like taking the Turnpike from Edison to the Holland Tunnel exit, would see a 30- cent increase, bringing the one-way total to $10.29.

That's just the beginning for city-bound drivers. There's another 25-cent increase for those headed into the city via the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels, the George Washington, Bayonne and Goethals Bridges, and the Outerbridge Crossing.

From 2015-2019, the peak E-ZPass rate for bridge and tunnel crossings held at $12.50. But over the six years since, tolls have steadily risen to more than $16. There are further 25-cent hikes scheduled at least the next two years. Drivers are also charged a $9 congestion fee to enter New York City below 60th Street.

Drivers headed westbound don't get a break, either. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission raised its E-ZPass tolls into Pennsylvania by 50 cents.

All the agencies say the money funds capital projects - these include the Newark Bay Bridge replacement and future upgrades to the Lincoln Tunnel Helix and Outerbridge Crossing. But New Jersey's rep at the National Motorists Association wants to know more about how these toll rates get calculated.

"You don't feel good about it,” said Steve Carrellas, of the National Motorists Association. “If they're upfront with you, you may not like it, but you feel like you're getting a fair shake. Some are deserved. Some haven't raised theirs in a long time, and inflation has certainly been around. Others, you could potentially be getting gouged, and that shouldn't happen." New Jersey also raised its gas tax for 2026. It’s one of the ten highest of any state at just under 50 cents per gallon.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Port Authority of NY/NJ are expected to formally decide on these proposals at meetings this week.