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Dear Members:
The MTA is pushing "pause" indefinitely on New York City's first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan at the direction of Governor Kathy Hochul.
The toll program, years in the making, had been set to roll out later this month has now been paused.
Hochul expressed concerns about the timing and state of city's post-pandemic recovery. She fears there may be "unintended consequences" on hard-working New Yorkers if the plan were implemented at this point but remains focused on achieving the goals of congestion pricing, which include funding much-needed transit modernization as well as environmental sustainability.
The MTA is expected to circulate a list of projects that could be impacted without known funding, an official briefed on the plans said. Congestion pricing was expected to be a $15 billion windfall for the cash-strapped agency.
Implementing the toll now, though, would hurt everyday people too much, Hochul said. And midtown Manhattan hasn't recovered to the point where this would be the right time for congestion pricing.
If the tax were implemented now, she says economically-strapped commuters may opt to return to working from home, leaving Manhattan offices, now with a 20% vacancy rate, emptier rather than pay the $15 car toll.
Source
Thank you,
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