Those of us who drive on the New York State Thruway and head west toward Boston have been pleasantly surprised by the recent disappearance of tolls on the Mass Pike. And we think: It sure would be nice to enjoy toll-free driving here in the Empire State. But, don't count on it.

In fact, not only will our tolls here NOT disappear, there's likely to be an increase by 2022 and perhaps as early as 2021. You can thank the heavy debts incurred for the Tappan Zee Bridge project and other capital plans. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to confirm future toll increases for both the bridge over the Hudson River and the entire thruway system. But, analysts have speculated: those toll hikes are coming.

The Thruway Authority hasn’t raised tolls since 2010, but faces increasing debt payments for the $4 billion Tappan Zee Bridge, plus an additional $2.2 billion in planned capital projects.

The Thruway will need to raise tolls by 2022 to meet payment requirements or face much higher debts in the future.

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