Brooklyn politicians rallied for the state’s congestion pricing plan Thursday to toll motorists entering Manhattan below 60th Street, saying the federal government should speed up the process.
Lawmakers pushed for the Federal Highway Administration to approve the state Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s long-awaited charge, as the MTA is set to wrap up a lengthy public comment period Friday.
“In Brooklyn, we’re standing strong for congestion pricing,” said Borough President Antonio Reynoso outside Borough Hall on Sept. 22. “Our population continues to increase, but our streets do not continue to grow.”
The MTA has held hours of marathon virtual public hearings since releasing a federally-required environmental assessment of its so-called Central Business District Tolling Program on Aug. 10.
The study looked at different tolling scenarios ranging from $9–$23 to enter Manhattan’s busiest section, depending on exemptions and discounts the agency chooses to implement for the fee.
The agency has to generate $1 billion a year from the charge under the 2019 law passed by the state, against which it can bond out $15 billion, which accounts for 27% of its five-year capital plan to modernize its ancient transit infrastructure.
The scheme aims to cut traffic by up to one-fifth and reduce pollution in the Big Apple, while shifting more commuters out of private vehicles and into mass transit.
“This is a tangible, major, sweeping policy that will dramatically reduce the number of cars and trucks on the street in New York City,” said north Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler.
There have been many calls for carveouts, including by taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers and people crossing tolled bridges and tunnels.
Restler said there should be some form of discount for cabbies and FHVs.
“We should have some reduced fare structure for taxis and FHVs, but the goal here is to limit the number of cars and trucks that are on the road,” Restler said. “I strongly support the most limited forms of exemptions that we can build consensus around and keep it moving.”
Local Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon also favored a taxi exception, since cab drivers are already charged a $2.50 surcharge to drive below 96th Street.
“They’re paying a congestion fee, it makes some sense to look carefully at that,” the state lawmaker said.
