New plan to fight NYC traffic attracts MTA's interest

[mark1447]

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is revisiting a variation on congestion pricing, four years after the state rejected Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to fight traffic in Manhattan by charging drivers rush-hour fees of $8 each.

 

The issue of congestion pricing has come to the forefront again because Sam Schwartz, a former New York City traffic commissioner known as "Gridlock Sam," who now runs a transportation engineering company, unveiled a modified plan this month.

 

Joseph Lhota, the chairman of the cash-hungry MTA, which runs New York City buses and subways, commuter railroads, and some major bridges and tunnels, told reporters on Wednesday: "I have not had discussions with anybody but Sam Schwartz on the Sam Schwartz plan, and I think it probably will be a very big item in next year's mayoral race."

 

Bloomberg had proposed collecting fees from motorists who drive into midtown, which would have raised $400 million a year. One year after New York State Assembly Democrats rejected the plan, the MTA made drastic service cuts to close a nearly $400 million deficit.

 

More & Source:

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/30/nyc-congestion-idUSL2E8EU9XS20120330

[theaveragejoe]

This would be good only if the money went back into transportation (funding or rail, transit, roads etc.)

[N6 Limited]

I like the plan because I use the bridges to the Bronx and would like a cheaper toll.

[Roadcruiser1]

They should toll every road and bridge in this city and the ones that connect to our city, and give that money to the MTA and the Port Authority to prevent them from running into debt and to improve mass transit in NYC,

[Acela Express]

They should toll every road and bridge in this city and the ones that connect to our city, and give that money to the MTA and the Port Authority to prevent them from running into debt and to improve mass transit in NYC,

 

Before charging rush hour fees within city limits, they should start with tolling current bridges that connect Manhattan with the other boroughs. There's at least 3-5 bridges that make this work, and guaranteeds to raise money for the city, in turn transferring the funds to MTA for operations.