After facing years of political and legal hurdles, congestion pricing is finally set to begin in Manhattan on Sunday. The program, which will charge motorists traveling below 60th Street, has been met with criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.
Congestion pricing is set to finally begin in Manhattan on Sunday after years stuck in political and legal gridlock. Nearly six years ago, New York state lawmakers approved the landmark tolling program that will charge motorists traveling below 60th Street and use the proceeds to pay for mass transit repairs. Then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the program into law in April 2019 – and it’s faced fierce criticism from both ends of the political spectrum ever since.
New York Republicans lambasted the tolling program shortly after it was approved. During his first term in the White House, Donald Trump’s administration slow-walked the federally-required environmental review for the program. The pandemic caused further delays. Shortly before the tolls were originally to go into effect, Gov. Kathy Hochul imposed a six-month “pause” ahead of the 2024 election. After voters had cast their ballots, Hochul announced a 40% reduction from the $15 fare the MTA had planned. Meanwhile, Cuomo withdrew his support for congestion pricing, arguing the tolls could endanger the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery. The program has also narrowly survived a litany of lawsuits. In one of those suits, a New Jersey federal judge this week ordered the Federal Highway Administration to provide more details about the mitigation efforts for communities that will see an increase in traffic — but didn’t halt the program. Awhere attorneys for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will ask the judge to issue an injunction blocking the tolls less than 48 hours before they are to turn on. But MTA leaders, transit advocates and environmentalists may want to hold off on celebrating if the first driver is hit with the toll on Sunday just after midnight. Trump will be sworn in to a second term in less than three weeks, and he’s made clear he’s no fan of congestion pricing
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