After five months in limbocleopatra free slots, New York’s congestion pricing program has been given new life. But it is still far from clear whether the plan to ease traffic, reduce air pollution and raise billions of dollars for mass transit in New York City will live or die.
Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced a new, heavily discounted version of the plan she had put on hold over the summer, just as it was set to begin. Now the race is on to get the program up and running on Jan. 5, before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. And for good reason: During his campaign, he vowed to kill congestion pricing in his “first week back in office.”
The current plan would slash the proposed toll for passenger vehicles entering Manhattan’s central business district by 40 percent across the board, with most drivers paying a peak period toll of $9 instead of the original $15. The governor had complained that $15 was “too much” for commuters coping with inflation. But her decision to suspend the plan, which caught city and state officials off guard, was viewed as political, to help Democrats in the November election.
The Biden administration has given New York the go-ahead to start collecting the new tolls. (The Federal Highway Administration must approve tolling on federally funded roadways.) The $9 toll is to ratchet up to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031. The program is expected to generate less than the $1 billion that was anticipated. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to use the money to borrow $15 billion for badly needed transit repairs and upgrades through the sale of bonds. Some projects could be delayed because of the phase-in of the toll.
Even if the program begins before Mr. Trump returns to Washington, its survival is in question. Lying ahead is an expected frontal assault from the new president and the Republicans who control Congress and also oppose it. In addition to Mr. Trump’s threat to rescind federal approval, Republican lawmakers have promised to pass legislation shutting down the program if the new president can’t terminate it with an executive order.
Others are also trying to block it in court before Jan. 5. Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey argues it would be a financial burden to the state’s commuters. (Although New Jersey residents will reap significant time savings as the tolls thin traffic.) Had Governor Hochul allowed the tolls to start in June, as scheduled, she would have had a much longer runway on which to address and get past the litigation. Now time is running out to establish the program before the White House changes residents.
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