Congestion pricing advocates in the Big Apple want the MTA to implement a plan to charge drivers $15 to enter some of Manhattan’s busiest streets ahead of the long-awaited introduction of congestion pricing. We rallied. Public hearing on controversial paid program Thursday evening.
Dozens of demonstrators outside MTA headquarters chanted “better transit is our goal,” and one supporter told protesters the plan “isn’t the end of the world” in New York City. Transportation Authority President Richard Davey also spoke out in support of the plan.
“If you like easy-to-access stations, if you like reliable signal systems like Line 7 and L, you’ll like congestion pricing, because the money we’re trying to raise goes to public transit. Because it’s a direct investment in the 5.5 million New Yorkers who use public transportation,” Davey told the Post.
“I may be the most unashamed supporter of congestion pricing in the city, because I run the transit system and we need to invest in it.”
Other New Yorkers who support the plan also spoke out at a rally before the hearing.
“How often do you drive into a congestion zone? A lot of people are wreaking havoc on congestion pricing. They think it’s going to bankrupt them,” said Park Slope resident Michael Ring. argued that most people would not face a significant burden from the additional fees.
“But with this money, the subway system will run better, fewer people will commit crime, and there will be less congestion for people who have to drive,” said Ring, a former car owner. said. “I encourage all New Yorkers to do the math on how much it really costs. It’s not the end of the world.”
Samuel Santella, 30, of Queens, said he is “the kind of guy that elected officials and policymakers fight against when they oppose congestion pricing.”
“I don’t drive and I don’t take Uber. Just having access to those things today is so stressful,” he says, adding, “I don’t value my mental health too much. So you don’t have to stress about driving or parking.”
“Given the climate crisis and the traffic violence crisis, I want to be a good steward of the planet,” Santella continued.
The first of four hearings held Thursday night in Lower Manhattan comes after the transit agency announced plans to charge drivers more to enter midtown Manhattan. The decision was made in the face of legal challenges.
The incident comes after an MTA conductor was slashed in the neck in a subway attack in Brooklyn earlier in the day, causing hours-long delays on two major lines Thursday morning.
Transportation officials and supporters of the plan argue that the surcharge would discourage some commuters from taking trains to the Big Apple while also raising $1 billion in new funding for the MTA each year. There is.
The funds are expected to go toward a variety of train and bus improvements, including the Second Avenue subway extension, new computerized signals and station upgrades.
But opponents say congestion pricing is just a money grab that could further squeeze working-class New Yorkers and divert traffic and air pollution to suburban boroughs.
Motorists traveling south of 60th Street will incur tolls, and truck drivers will have to pay more to enter Manhattan’s central business district.
The once-daily $15 fee for passenger vehicle drivers will be in place from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during peak weekend hours. Outside of rush hour, the fare will be $3.75.
Drivers who travel on FDR Drive, the West Side Highway, and the Battery Park underpass are exempt from the tolling program, but will be charged if they hit roads in congestion zones.
There is no official start date, but MTA lawyers suggested the rollout could begin as early as mid-June.
After Thursday night’s public comment session, another public hearing will be held Friday morning, and the final two forums will be held Monday morning and again Monday night.
The public also has until March 11 to send written comments to the MTA about the plan.
