The Richmond Metropolitan Authority officially voted Tuesday to increase the tolls on the Powhite Parkway ramps and the Boulevard Bridge by 40 percent.

The authority voted last month to increase the tolls at the mainline Powhite Parkway and Downtown Expressway plazas by 20 cents, from 50 cents to 70 cents.

The changes Tuesday will include:

w raising the Boulevard Bridge (popularly known as the Nickel Bridge) toll from 25 cents to 35 cents;

w raising the Second Street toll from 25 cents to 35 cents;

w raising the Forest Hill Avenue on and exit toll ramps from 50 cents to 70 cents;

w raising the Douglas Dale Road toll ramp from 15 cents to 20 cents; and

w raising the 11th Street toll ramp from 20 cents to 30 cents.

The new rate changes will go into effect starting Sept. 8 because of increased maintenance costs, $123 million in prior debt for building the roads and the Virginia Department of Transportation's announcement that as of July 1, it would no longer be spending $500,000 in routine maintenance on the roads, such as snow removal and grass cutting.

The increase will go into effect Sept. 8 because the authority wanted to complete its open road toll plaza on Powhite Parkway, which includes three E-ZPass express lanes in both directions without toll booths that allow drivers to go through at near highway speed. Members also wanted to wait until after the Labor Day holiday.

It's the first increase in more than a decade for an authority that receives no state or federal funding.

Board members Charles White, who represents Chesterfield, and Gerald McCarthy, who represents the Commonwealth Transportation Board, were the only two to vote against the ramp and bridge toll increases Tuesday.

The RMA, which also manages The Diamond and three parking decks, also discussed the departure of the Richmond Braves for Gwinnett County, Georgia.

"We are coordinating efforts to have baseball here in 2009 and we're optimistic we will be able to find a team," said Mike Barry, general manager for the authority.

But several board members took the opportunity to say that even though the authority and Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder had received most of the blame, the Braves themselves were also deserving and the RMA had supported the Braves "above and beyond."

"The Braves are getting a free pass. They aren't blameless in this, not by a long shot," said board member Corey Nicholson, who represents Richmond.

Nicholson said he was concerned about the region's ability to secure another baseball team if it appeared that the mayor and the RMA were to blame.

Board member Jacqueline Epps, who also represents Richmond, agreed with Nicholson.

"It's always been made clear we want (the Braves) here," she said. "They went behind our backs, smiling to our faces, to make a deal with Gwinnett."

Barry said he spoke with the Braves about making their last season the best and showing fans their appreciation, but that it was obvious the "high road" was not taken. Barry later said he didn't like to place blame for the Braves' departure, but pointed out that the authority, Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico had agreed in 2000 and 2002 to work together to finance a renovation of the Diamond, but the Braves chose not to sign the contracts.

"The message we want to send out is that we're willing to partner with an … owner to bring first-class baseball to the people," Barry said.

Braves spokesman John Emmett said the team had no comment on the authority's comments.

In other business, board members updated the authority in other areas, such as:

w the Forest Hill onramp to the Powhite Parkway will likely re-open at the end of next week after some repaving, shaving back of the retaining walls and reshaping of the curve is completed;

w two of the four southbound lanes near the Chippenham Parkway after the toll plaza will be closed for 60 days starting in late April or early May so that they can be coated with a new latex overlay;

w three northbound lanes at the mainline Powhite Parkway toll plaza will be closed from June to mid-August so that the new open road tolling lanes can be installed;

w the southbound lanes that were closed last week as traffic was shifted to try out the new southbound open road tolling lanes will be re-opened in late July; and

w the authority will save hundreds of thousands of dollars by changing a current contract with a paving company, which will pave the parkway from the Chippenham to Cary Street rather than just to Forest Hill Avenue.