The bridge commission can waive the $35 fee under some circumstances, a spokesman says.
Nicholas Cochran, of Easton, figured both choices in front of him were bad.
But he had to make a decision: Make an illegal U-turn in front of a Phillipsburg police lieutenant, or head up onto Route 22 and drive over the toll bridge without paying, he said.
"It was kind of a lose-lose unfortunately," Cochran said Monday.
He had hoped just to drive down Memorial Parkway toward Main Street and cross the free bridge into Easton.
He hadn't counted on the Halloween parade shutting that access on Sunday afternoon. The sign he drove past moments earlier had said plan an alternate route, but it lacked context, he explained.
When he encountered Phillipsburg police, a lieutenant laid out his choices, Cochran said.
So, without a penny in his pocket and not wanting to get a traffic ticket, Cochran said he headed up the ramp to the toll bridge and asked for a supervisor.
He learned the fee would be $35 to go through the tolls without paying. And he said he was told by the supervisor he could fight it in traffic court once the violation letter arrived in the mail.
But Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission spokesman Joe Donnelly said Cochran has another option. No matter what, Cochran owes the commission $1 for crossing the bridge, Donnelly said.
The violation letter from New Jersey EZPass, however, includes a phone number to call, Donnelly explained. That number is 888-288-6865. And while the "poor fellas in the toll booths" and the supervisor can do nothing to alleviate the electronically produced fees, the person who answers the phone at the EZPass customer service center can, Donnelly said.
"That can be waived so long as we get the $1 toll," Donnelly said.
If the complaint can't be addressed through the customer service number, you can call the bridge commission's EZPass department at 800-363-0049.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.