Posted on 02/19/2025 11:03:25 AM PST by Olog-hai
The U.S. Department of Transportation has pulled its approval for the MTA’s congestion pricing toll program, but the MTA is vowing to take the decision to federal court to ensure the plan will continue.
In a release Wednesday, the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration said it sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul informing her that the department had rescinded the agreement.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair. The program also hurts small businesses in New York that rely on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut. Finally, it impedes the flow of commerce into New York by increasing costs for trucks, which in turn could make goods more expensive for consumer. Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few.” […]
Launched on Jan. 5, the city’s system uses license plate readers to impose a $9 toll on most passenger cars entering Manhattan neighborhoods south of Central Park. In its early days, transit officials say the toll has brought modest but measurable traffic reductions. …
(Excerpt) Read more at abc7ny.com ...
“In other words, it has not had a significant impact on congestion or pollution.”
When was the last time you were in London? How long did you stay? I used to live in the Midlands and drive to London on the regular. I can assure you it was mind numbingly worsew before the outer ring road was included in the congestion charging. It used to take up to 3 hours to get from the greenbelt to central London you can do that now in 45 to an hour. The charging absolutely worked. Don’t be a poor and try to drive into some of the most expensive areas. That applies for London and NYC. I was in NYC three weeks ago with one of my federal level attorney we go once a month as a guys trip, work for him, play for me. The change in NYC is working you can actually drive in midtown now , for anyone other than a poor $9 is less than a single drink in NYC, parking is $75 no in and outs ,more if you valet. The added benefit is with much less traffic so UBERs show up quick,no more 30+ min wait for an UBER to creep to you,and you get right to your destination fairly quickly. I hope NYS goes right to the Supremes with a clearly winnable tenth amendment case and tells the feds to piss off.
If these are state roads, I don’t see what the Feds have to do with it.
But you are probably right, the Feds probably are paying for the camera equipment, which makes it a federal issue.
Hochul did this because funding city employee pensions is getting harder to do.
Except for the GW bridge, all the access points from Manhattan to NJ goes into the congestion zone.
Even if you take the FDR drive (which is supposed to be free) and then the West Side Highway, all free, you still have to drive on Canal Street to get to the Holland Tunnel. Just that 5 block drive to the tunnel entrance from the West Side Highway has the driver paying the congestion toll.
This is a money-grab, plain and simple.
It does regulate interstate commerce and addresses equal treatment, and it does administer any federal financing for the roads.
You are correct—these big cities should be paid for by poor and blue collar people—because of “fairness”.
Lol.
Crossing from one state to another involves interstate commerce, the regulation of which falls under Federal jurisdiction under the Constitution. If the state of New York wanted to impose a congestion fee on the bridges and tunnels connecting the NYC boroughs, that would not fall under Federal jurisdiction.
“Hochul did this because funding city employee pensions is getting harder to do.”
The congestion pricing revenue does not go to city pensions. It goes to the MTA. They ran threw various state and local budgeted subsidies for the MTA, so, not wanting to raise “taxes” more for their beloved agencies that can never get enough subsidies, they cooked up a new de facto tax - “congestion pricing”.
It is really a tax on ALL motor vehicles, as it even applies to city residents living in the “congestion pricing zone” or elsewhere. I know a woman in Manhattan who has decided to sell her car, rather than pay the “congestion pricng” each time she takes it to see friends and relatives anywhere else in the city. Once she moves it on the Manhattan streets below 59th street (where she lives) she’ll pay the congestion pricing toll.
$9 each day? That could bankrupt people in no time. The government has made using mass transit dangerous, why should working people have to pay for the incompetence of government?
“Otherwise, why is this a Federal issue?”
Interstate travel.
Yup—this is the wealthy giving the middle finger to the working people who make the city work.
This is the Democrat Party today.
They have no shame.
“I assume NY’s congestion pricing plan depends on some kind of Federal aid ... Otherwise, why is this a Federal issue?”
Federal aid = federal control. Not good. I agree. Cities should run their streets however they want.
This is not a Tenth Amendment issue since it involves New Jersey and Connecticut.
I don’t know what USDOT’s precise involvement is, but NY is trying to tax NJ and CT here.
Missed this post, sorry. I think we all know why the MSM does what it does.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is doing great.
Because it’s not and never has been about congestion pricing or pollution....it’s all about the Benjamins and people control
Try being a gig worker who relies on Instacart, DoorDash, Shipt, uber or spark for a paycheck. Those companies DO NOT add on extra funds for those tolls. A big slice right out of your pocket and makes one less likely to accept a run on those platforms. Which means less people using the services because they become unreliable. Big huge domino effect
You right...it’s been almost 10 years since I was in London. However, I was just reporting what someone in the UK said.
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