Controversial charge will force drivers to pay $9 for traveling on certain roads – and it’s set to be fast-tracked
NEW York is reportedly set to bring back plans that would see a congestion charge rolled out – just months after it was dramatically paused.
Officials in the Empire State are working to fast-track the measure that would see drivers charged $9 for traveling in Midtown and Lower Manhattan.
The potential toll has proved controversial as a charge of $15 was originally touted before plans were put on the backburner.
But, it seems New York Governor Kathy Hochul is among officials leading the charge to bring back the measure, per The New York Times.
She’s said to be working tirelessly in order to get any program rubber-stamped before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The governor is set to make an announcement on the initiative today.
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It’s likely that the revised toll charge would be cut by 40%.
Hochul put the brakes on the measure earlier this year because of the impact on New Yorkers, as reported by CBS News.
The proposal will have to go through a series of checks before it becomes law.
It has to be approved at the federal level, and transport chiefs in the state need to test the technology that would enforce the charge.
Hochul has reportedly been locked in talks with Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The fee of $9 needs to be rubber-stamped at a meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
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Cars would be charged $2.25 between 9pm and 5am on weekdays and 9pm and 9pm on the weekend should the new charge become law.
Truck drivers would be slapped in peak hours with a $14.40 or $21.60 charge.
Even though the toll looks set to be reduced, the proposal is still controversial.
Revision of the New York congestion charge
New York governor Kathy Hochul is set to revive proposals for a congestion charge that would impact drivers in New York City
- Most vehicles would be charged $9.
- Cars would pay a rate of $2.25 between 9pm and 5am on weekdays and between 9pm and 9am on weekends.
- During peak hours, trucks would be charged $14.40 or $21.60.
- Ubers would be hit with a $1.50 surcharge.
BACKLASH
New York Republican lawmakers are urging Trump to kill the toll.
Lawmaker Mike Lawler branded the proposed charge as a “cash grab” in a letter sent to the president-elect.
The note to Trump delved into the potential impacts the charge could have on cash-strapped drivers.
“Congestion pricing, the latest in a long string of tyrannical taxes, has been pressed forward through consistent opposition about the burden on New York families and workers, the timing of the effort, areas lacking adequate transit, the fiscal responsibility of the move, the negative impact that congestion pricing will have on residents of some of the lowest-income neighborhoods in New York City, and more,” the letter seen by The New York Post said.
Lawler believes Hochul is trying to ram the program through before January.
Democratic politician Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, who serves in the New York state Senate, claimed any toll is not what Americans want.
But city officials have gushed over the benefits such a program would have.
They think it would tackle carbon emissions and help emergency services.
“Crosstown now, traffic moves at walking speed,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine told CBS News in March.
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There are a number of vehicles that would be exempt from the charge should it come into force.
Cop cars, first responders, and parks and recreation vehicles will avoid the fees.
Expert thoughts on congestion pricing
Here is what Tim Menard, the CEO of LYT, a California-based transportation technology firm, said about the pricing policy:
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, the CEO said the city advocated against congestion pricing.
Menard believes congestion pricing will have unintended consequences on the city’s poorer populations.
“Congestion pricing has more downsides than benefits,” Menard told The U.S. Sun.
“This tax affects the poor more than the rich – there is no equity – billionaires living in expensive parts of Manhattan are not going to be hit as much, particularly given the cost of living crisis in the US.”
Still, New York City and federal agencies disagreed with the negative assessment on congestion pricing after spending billions of dollars studying potential re-routing impacts from the potential implementation.
Instead, Menard said cities should embrace rapidly-advancing AI technology.
New systems have controlled transit bus routing – a system Menard says is far more effective.
“It’s specifically designed to help move buses through busy corridors, and it has been effectively used to improve response times for emergency vehicles,” he said.
“The new technology can be a very budget-friendly installation for cities. And it works to improve traffic flow for all commuters, not just buses.”
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