N.Y. Public Authorities Law § 538: Tolls, rules and regulations

§ 538. Tolls, rules and regulations. 1. The authority shall have power

to make rules and regulations for the preservation and use of the

bridges and for the payment of tolls. Such rules and regulations shall

be subject to the approval of the commissioner. Violations of such rules

shall constitute an offense punishable by a fine of not more than one

hundred dollars; provided, however, that violators of such rules

relating to traffic or pedestrian use of a bridge or highway within the

jurisdiction of the authority, shall be apprehended and prosecuted in

the same manner as provided for the apprehension and prosecution of

violators of the vehicle and traffic law who commit violations thereof

upon the public highways. For the purpose of conferring jurisdiction

upon courts and judicial officers generally, violations of those rules

of the authority which are defined as offenses shall nevertheless be

deemed misdemeanors for the sole purpose of making applicable all

procedural provisions of law relating to misdemeanors. The rates of

tolls shall be determined by the authority subject to the approval of

the commissioner, and to the provisions and limitations of any agreement

with the bondholders or noteholders. Nothing herein shall give the

commissioner any power or authority to require any act or thing which

will constitute a breach of any agreement with the bondholders or

noteholders.

2. The authority shall continue to maintain and collect tolls on the

bridges and shall, subject to the terms of any agreement, now

outstanding or hereafter made, with bondholders or note holders or with

the commissioner, apply tolls and other revenues from the operation of

the bridges to the following charges in the order named:

(a) For payment of the cost of maintenance and operation of the

bridges;

(b) For payment of installments of principal and of interest maturing

upon bonds of the authority, if any;

(c) For payments from time to time in such amounts as the authority

shall deem necessary to be contributed to a city pursuant to subdivision

ten-b of section five hundred twenty-eight of this chapter.

3. None of the bridges constructed prior to January first, nineteen

hundred fifty-eight, shall be free from tolls until all of such bridges

are free therefrom, subject to such agreements with bondholders and

noteholders as may be made as hereinafter provided, and the rates of

tolls on the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Mid-Hudson bridge, the

Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge, the Bear Mountain bridge, the Rip Van Winkle

bridge, and the Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon bridge shall be uniform.