WOODBRIDGE, N.J. Tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway will rise sharply Dec. 1.

The increases are the result of a plan approved last month to more than double the highways tolls over four years to fund a $7 billion capital-improvement program and meet debt payments.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority six-member board voted unanimously in favor of the plan, which contains smaller increases than an initial proposal made in September.

Gov. Jon Corzine, a first-term Democrat, said he will approve the revised increases after refusing to endorse the earlier proposal.

"We strongly believe this is a matter of safety and efficiency, but equally as important is that it will lead to job creation," said state Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri. "The governor's mandate was clear, he said we had to be aware of the broader economic climate."

The plan will raise turnpike tolls for autos to $1.70 on Dec. 1, from $1.20, the current average, and to $2.60 in 2012. Garden State Parkway tolls will rise to 50 cents and 75 cents in 2012 from the current average of 35 cents.

The earlier proposed increase would have raised auto tolls to $3 by 2023 on the turnpike and 85 cents on the parkway.

For 45-foot motorcoaches, the cash toll for traveling the full length of the New Jersey Turnpike will go from $12.75 to $17.85. E-ZPass tolls for big coaches go from $$11.65 to $16.30 on Dec. 1.

In addition to funding a 10-year capital plan and meeting debt obligations, the money also will help pay the state's $1.25 billion share of a new commuter-rail tunnel under the Hudson River.

The rail-tunnel proposal has set off a firestorm of criticism by many truckers. They resent that a large chunk of the toll increase will be used for purposes other than maintaining or upgrading the two toll roads.

The revised plan gives a 10 percent discount to commercial firms that spend over $10,000 monthly on tolls.

It marks the first time tolls have gone up on the turnpike since 2000 and on the parkway since 1989.