New York Governor Kathy Hochul gave the green light Thursday to restart the fight against congestion pricing in New York City, a first-in-the-nation plan aimed at reducing gridlock over a $9 toll to impose on most vehicles entering the core of Manhattan. peak hours.
Hochul made the announcement four months after she put the brakes on an earlier version that would have gone into effect in June and would have charged cars $15 to enter Manhattan below 61st Street, and trucks a few months later with even higher tolls would have hit.
At the time, Hochul said congestion pricing at that rate would be a hardship for New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet in the post-pandemic economy.
“I believe that no New Yorker should pay a cent more than is absolutely necessary to achieve these goals, and $15 was too much,” Hochul said at a news conference Thursday. “I am proud to announce that we have found a way to fund the MTA, reduce traffic congestion and keep millions of dollars in the pockets of our commuters.”
The lower toll will still allow officials to make improvements to New York City’s aging transportation system “and break the gridlock” while improving air quality for all New Yorkers, she said.
“Years and years of disinvestment by previous governments end today,” Hochul said.
Now the race is on to get the congestion charge approved before President-elect Donald Trump, who opposes it, takes office in January.
Hochul was still speaking when New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued a statement from across the Hudson River condemning the plan and vowing to sue to prevent it from taking effect.
“We must all listen to the message that voters across America sent last Tuesday, which is that the vast majority of Americans are experiencing severe economic stress and are still feeling the effects of inflation,” Murphy said. “There couldn’t be a worse time to impose a new $9 toll on individuals traveling to downtown Manhattan for work, school or leisure.”
But Hochul emphasized that drivers making less than $50,000 a year will be eligible for a 50% discount and that toll rates will be lower during off-peak hours to encourage overnight deliveries.
The revised congestion pricing plan is expected to go before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board for approval next week.
State officials have said the revised plan is unlikely to require a repeat of the time-consuming environmental review process because, when the MTA board voted 11-1 in favor of congestion charges in March, the tolls involved ranged from $9 to $23.
Following the expected MTA approval, the state and city will next enter into an agreement with transportation officials in the Biden administration, who have supported the congestion charge.
The toll plan is expected to go into effect in January.
Hochul was under pressure to pass congestion pricing from mass transit advocates and state lawmakers seeking funding for much-needed upgrades to the public transit system, such as expanding the Second Avenue subway line and installing modern subway signals and elevators at 23 stations.
Not all motorists would face higher toll rates.
While not all details of the new pricing structure were immediately announced, NBC News reported in March that government vehicles would likely receive full exemptions.
The full $9 toll would not be in effect for taxis, but drivers would have to pay $1.25 per trip. The same policy would apply to Uber, Lyft and other rideshare drivers, although their surcharge would be $2.50.
Most motorists entering Manhattan’s Central Business District, which stretches from 60th Street to the southern tip of the Financial District, would have to pay tolls.
The full daily rate applies every weekday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Only one toll would be charged per day, meaning any motorist who enters the area, then leaves and returns would only be charged once that day.
Supporters of the plan said congestion pricing would reduce the number of vehicles entering the most congested parts of Manhattan by 17%, or about 153,000 cars.
They also predicted that the congestion charge would raise $15 billion, which could be used to modernize subways and buses.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
