A.C. Expressway toll revenue $20 million short

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Toll hikes on the Atlantic City Expressway have not provided the windfall that was expected.

After raising tolls 50 to 60 percent last year, the South Jersey Transportation Authority expected to raise more than $200 million in the first year. Now the authority expects to bring in less than $180 million because of lighter traffic during the recession.

Even so, plans for $270 million worth of construction should be able to move ahead, the authority said. That's because construction companies are scrambling for work, causing bids to come in lower than anticipated. - AP