NEW YORK– The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will hold its last board meeting of the year on Wednesday, just weeks before Congestion pricing comes into effect.
CBS News New York has learned that in addition to congestion pricing, the board could also discuss a possible rate increase.
Rates rose by 15 cents last summer to $2.90, but a source familiar with the discussions tells our transit reporter Elijah Westbrook that another increase may be on the way. At the moment it is unclear how big the increase will be, but if it is approved, the source says it could happen in August next year.
Congestion pricing in just a few weeks
The $9 congestion toll is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the MTA’s capital planincluding infrastructure investments and new signals to reduce delays.
“It’s a capital expenditure,” said Renae Reynolds of the Tr-State Transportation Campaign. “Our infrastructure is 100 years old and it needs to be improved.”
But opponents are not done fighting yet. A court date has been set for next Friday as they hope to obtain a court order.
“This is a money grab. If this were about congestion, we would see limits on the number of vehicles for rent in the Congestion Zone,” said Valerie Mason of New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing.
The MTA board is also expected to vote on purchasing 435 new subway cars, 80 of which are expected to have an open gangway design that will allow riders to walk throughout the train. They could be delivered by 2027 and would replace the cars with wood paneling and orange seats on the A, C, N, Q, W and Staten Island Railway.
The new cars would be paid for through congestion pricing.
Elijah Westbrook contributed to this report.
