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Local News


MTA BOARD VOTES IN FAVOR OF $15 CONGESTION PRICING TOLL FOR MOST DRIVERS
ENTERING MANHATTAN'S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

By Marcia Kramer, Elijah Westbrook

Updated on: December 6, 2023 / 6:52 PM EST / CBS New York

 * 
 * 
 * 


MTA board votes in favor of $15 toll for most drivers entering Manhattan below
60th

NEW YORK -- It's full speed ahead for the MTA's costly and controversial
congestion pricing plan.

The board on Wednesday gave the green light to a proposal to charge a fee to
drive into Manhattan's Central Business District.

There will now be a four-month public comment period.



MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the MTA board bought the fee proposal, "hook,
line and sinker." However, a few so-called tweaks may be in the offing, changes
sought by Mayor Eric Adams.

READ MORE: Congestion pricing draft report obtained by CBS New York shows $15
toll for most drivers entering Manhattan's Central Business District

By a vote of 9 to 1 the board approved the recommendations of the Traffic
Mobility Review Board to charge high fees to drive into Manhattan below 60th
Street. The lone holdout was David Mack of Nassau County.

"I cannot vote for it. Maybe there's other ways -- tolls, federal government,
other subsidies, other taxes," Mack said.

Congestion pricing proponents concerned about roadway turnstile jumpers

Mack was reflecting the views of suburban commuters on both sides of the Hudson
River who are alarmed at the stiff fees they will have to pay during the day:

 * $15 for cars
 * $7.50 for motorcycles
 * $24 for small trucks
 * $36 for big trucks

"I just think that this is just an added burden," Mack said.



But Kathryn Wylde, a member of the mobility panel and the head of the
Partnership for New York City, said companies are supporting congestion pricing
because of the high cost of congested roadways to their bottom line.

"Excess traffic congestion is costing the New York City region over $20 billion
a year," Wylde said.

READ MORE: Congestion pricing in NYC: Map, questions and answers

And while the board adopted the panel's recommendations in their entirety, there
were calls from board members for a number of changes sought by Mayor Adams --
exemptions for people going to medical appointments, exemptions for school
buses, and to help the yellow cab industry get on its fee by not forcing
passengers to pay an extra $1.25.

"They are still struggling to recover form the pandemic. There's still 54% fewer
trips in the Central Business District, and 25% fewer taxis on the road," board
member Midori Valdivia said.



"I think it's essential to provide some exemption, particularly those with
public school children," board member David Jones said. "I don't want to add
another burden to the public education system and the charter schools."

READ MORE: Congressmen Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer slam congestion pricing
as "money grab," say it will wreck area small businesses

Although the review board argued against exemptions, saying every exemption
would raise the base toll, the plea to exempt school buses appeared to touch a
receptive chord.

"We do want to exempt school buses," Lieber said. "That's work that needs to
take place, about how do we identify school buses, most of which are operated by
private companies that are carrying public school students versus buses that are
functioning as party buses?"

The public hearings will take place at the end of February and early March.
Officials hope to start the program in the spring, but conceded it is being held
up by two suits filed by officials in New Jersey.


MORE FROM CBS NEWS

Adams urges MTA to consider congestion pricing exemptions
Reps. Lawler, Gottheimer slam congestion pricing as "money grab"
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Housing to replace Harlem correctional facility, Hochul says
   In:
 * Congestion Pricing
 * Manhattan
 * Metropolitan Transportation Authority
 * Eric Adams
 * MTA
 * Janno Lieber

Marcia Kramer

Marcia Kramer joined CBS2 in 1990 as an investigative and political reporter.
Prior to CBS2, she was the City Hall bureau chief at the New York Daily News.

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First published on December 6, 2023 / 6:58 AM EST

© 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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