The Federal Highway Administration gave final approval Friday to the MTA’s now on-hold congestion pricing plan. This, as groups on both sides are in court or threatening to be in court to either get the plan re-started or cancelled altogether. President and CEO of the Rockland Business Association, Al Samuels, told “The Morning Show” Friday that 64 percent of New Yorkers are against the plan, but he’s not sure whether the governor’s decision to stall it was political or not…
Whether it is political or not, Rockland County Executive Ed Day prefers to see it shelved entirely, because Rockland commuters have too few, reliable public transit options…
Congestion pricing became state law five years ago, and it had been scheduled to begin June 30th. Governor Kathy Hochul’s “indefinite pause” leaves a $15 billion hole in the MTA’s Capital Program. Under the plan, cars would be hit with a $15 toll when they drive below 60th Street into the so-called Congestion Relief Zone during peak hours. Officials projected it would eliminate 100,000 vehicles from entering the zone each day, resulting in less traffic and cleaner air in the city, and help finance maintenance and new projects for the MTA.