ALBANY — Drivers around the state who have cumulatively run up more than $156 million in Âunpaid tolls may soon by walking to their destinations.
Gov. Cuomo is planning to make it easier for the state to yank the vehicle registrations of motorists who zip through toll lanes without paying and ignore collection efforts.
It is against state law to drive an unregistered vehicle.
According to state recÂords, toll cheats owe $156,686,769 in unpaid tolls, interest and penalties dating back to 2008.
The vast majority — 87 percent — shorted the Port Authority, which operates some of the most expensive bridge and tunnel crossings in the region.
The cash toll for the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, for example, is $13.
The state Thruway Authority lost $12 million to the toll cheats.
Rising fast on the list of toll cheats was the MTA’s Henry Hudson Bridge between Manhattan and The Bronx.
The Henry Hudson in November 2012 became the first bridge in the state to go to the honor system.
Drivers crossing without an ÂE-ZPass are billed $5 per crossing by mail. But, as The Post first reported, one-third aren’t paying.
Records show that the debt pile at the Henry Hudson skyrocketed from $749,549 in 2012 to $3,250,945 last year.
As part of his budget proposal, Cuomo wants to create a separate authority to go after the scofflaws.