rap #307 11/17/08

VICARI CALLS ON THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY TO PLAN AN ADDITIONAL PARKWAY TOKEN REDEMPTION DAY AT THE COUNTY CONNECTION

THE NEW JERSEY Turnpike Authority should make it as easy as possible for Ocean County residents to exchange their unused Garden State Parkway tokens before the end of the year, Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari said.

Vicari sent a letter to Authority Chairman Kris Kolluri asking him to schedule a token redemption day at the County Connection in the Ocean County Mall in Toms River Township sometime in December.

Parkway tolls will no longer accept tokens as of January 1, 2009.

“Ocean County has more physical Parkway mileage within its borders than any other county,” Vicari said. “We also provide a high percentage of commuters that make the daily drive between our 33 communities and Northern New Jersey.”

While the Turnpike Authority has scheduled three redemption days at the Forked River Service Area near milepost 76 in Lacey Township for December 15, 17 and 19, Vicari said a similar program at the County Connection would be better received.

“I have been surprised at how many residents have questioned me about what they are going to do with their unused tokens and how they should go about turning them in,” Vicari said in the letter. “A redemption day at the county’s facility in our only regional indoor mall, in the middle of the holiday shopping season no less, would provide a more convenient location and better-attended program.”

Vicari said residents who may have tokens but don’t use the Parkway on a daily basis may have a difficult time reaching the Forked River facility on one of the only three redemption scheduled days.

He said the county would be happy to offer the authority space for a day at the County Connection.

“We want to make sure that any resident who wants to cash in his or her tokens has that chance,” Vicari said.

---