New York to revive congestion pricing with $12 toll
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The plan would go before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board for approval next week and would most likely take effect before Donald Trump takes office in January.
PHOTO: AFP
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NEW YORK - New York will revive its once-abandoned plan for the nation’s first congestion-pricing programme, but at a reduced rate of a US$9 (S$12) toll for most vehicles to enter mid-town and lower Manhattan, according to five people familiar with the matter.
Governor Kathy Hochul intends to announce the state’s revised proposal on Nov 14, lowering the initial US$15 charge for cars to enter Manhattan’s core at peak hours.
The new plan would be fast-tracked for implementation.
It would go before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board for approval next week and would most likely take effect before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January – a time frame that aims to preempt Trump’s vows to kill the programme.
State officials believe that they will not need to repeat the lengthy environmental review process because the previous review accounted for a range of tolls from US$9 to US$23.
The state and city must sign an agreement with transportation officials in the Biden administration.
The last-minute effort to save the tolling plan comes as Ms Hochul has faced growing pressure from transit advocates and state lawmakers to secure funding for the transit system.
She also faces legal challenges from supporters of congestion pricing.
Ms Hochul shocked New Yorkers in June when she announced she would pause the toll “indefinitely”
She has consistently insisted that she held up the plan because she believed that a US$15 toll was too high, but many speculated that she also believed the toll could hurt Democrats in the November election.
The plan serves dual purposes: reducing traffic and clearing the air on New York City streets and raising roughly US$1 billion each year to support the city’s ailing subways, buses and two commuter train lines.
Ms Hochul is expected to propose a 40 per cent reduction across the board to the previously approved tolling structure, according to the people familiar with the matter.
That could mean a significant break not only for passenger cars, but also for commercial trucks and passengers taking taxis and Ubers.
It is not clear if the state will be able to raise US$1 billion a year with a lower toll structure.
State officials say privately that with a US$9 fee instead of US$15, more motorists may decide to drive into Manhattan, at least partially offsetting the loss in revenue from the lower toll. NYTIMES
