Will Congestion Pricing Return From The Dead?

Photograph by RGP on Flickr

Even while haggling in Copenhagen, our politicians are still hard at work for us: case-in-point, Mayor Bloomberg did an interview with CNBC yesterday to discuss the MTA funding crisis, and alluded to the possible re-birth of his congestion pricing plan:

"I don't think congestion pricing, or those kind of things, are dead. One-half of the legislature, the Albany Assembly, they tried to pass a bill to put congestion pricing around all of Manhattan and they couldn't get it done. The Senate didn't go along. Next time, come March, they're going to have to balance a budget and I think any kind of revenue source will be on the table...If we had done congestion pricing two years ago, perhaps they wouldn't be in this situation."

As the Post reports, Bloomberg's controversial idea was to charge $8 to drive into Manhattan below 86th St. on weekdays, based on similar successful pricing plans in London and Stockholm, but it died in the Assembly last year. With the MTA facing a budget gap of nearly $400 million right now, Bloomberg took this opportunity to raise the congestion pricing plan as a solution, although the News reports he was careful to distance himself a little from pushing the idea too hard, saying, "Whether you see it in New York or not, I'll leave it up to the state legislature."

However, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, seen as congestion pricing's killer, told NY1 yesterday, "[T]he mayor has added congestion by narrowing streets, by putting benches in the middle of the city—and this was the same mayor who talked about congestion when he was going to build a football stadium in the middle of the most congested part of the city. They've now put park benches in the middle of Times Square, reduced Broadway traffic up and downtown from four lanes down to one or two, and lower Broadway down to one lane. So, he's created congestion just in these traffic patterns that have taken place."

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By Ben Yakas in News on December 16, 2009 5:15 PM

Comments [rss]

nivek

I want to fucking walk. I want my buses fast and I don't want to have to dodge a million idiots in 2000+ lb. vehicles on my way home.

If there were only bikes and buses on the road, then people wouldn't run red lights. Does anyone not remember Summer Streets?

eveostay

"New York City voters [...] support congestion pricing 60 - 37 percent if money from the plan is used to improve mass transit in and around the city, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released [in January 2008]."

Mordicai

Please please yes, congestion pricing.

jjazznola

Congestion Pricing is a great idea. Something needs to be done. There is too much traffic and pollution in and around the city.

Brandon

Although it isn't directly from Bloomberg, the addition of Biking lanes in the city (especially in Brooklyn) just makes life miserable for drivers. On Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights, this used to be a 4 lane street that goes from Prospect Park across to the edge of Crown Heights at Utica Avenue. Many trucks use this route. With the addition of the bike lane and those idiotic islands, traffic is reduced to one lane, and moves extremely slowly. Not to mention the inconvenience of emergency vehicles trying to get through now.

MrManhattan

So what you're saying is that there are too many cars on that road and it should be reserved for emergency vehicles? Great idea!

ottoemezzo

Geez...Napoleon Bloomberg's a stubborn lil bugger, ain't he?

He just won't let go when he doesn't get what he wants.

....and thank you, thefacts!

thefacts

Shelly Silver Speaks The Truth:

"The mayor has added congestion by narrowing streets, by putting benches in the middle of the city—and this was the same mayor who talked about congestion when he was going to build a football stadium in the middle of the most congested part of the city. They've now put park benches in the middle of Times Square, reduced Broadway traffic up and downtown from four lanes down to one or two, and lower Broadway down to one lane. So, he's created congestion just in these traffic patterns that have taken place."

This is why Shelly will be elected year after year. His constituents support him.

If you don't like it, hipsters, move back to Wisconsin to your parents' basement. Those who vote for Shelly support his principled stand against the freaks and the bike nerds, and the nasally whiners in tight jeans carrying around their vinyl collection.

Keep it up Shelly. Bust Bloomberg's balls, if he has any. If you don't like it. commenters, ride your little bikes back to suburbia. NYers Vote, NYers Rule; Newbies from Portland or boulder, take the back seat.

Shelly: Keep busting Bloomberg's balls.

squatch

silver is now and has always been a complete idiot. the broadway modifications have nothing to do with anything.

NattyB

Sheldon Silver reps the Lower East Side.

Not a lot of car owners around here, and, I don't believe congestion pricing would apply to Manhattan residents. Though, I'm not 100% sure about that.

Nevertheless, it's not like Congestion Pricing fees would be borne by his constituents.

It'd be one thing if he rep'ed Queens or Long Island, but, his constituents would directly benefit from congestion pricing. So, fuck him.

MrManhattan

"reduced Broadway traffic up and downtown from four lanes down to one or two,"

Silver still thinks that traffic runs up broadway? Whed did he last visit Manhattan? The '60's?

That's the last time traffic was permitted up Broadway. Maybe it's the Broadway in Albany he's talking about but Mayor Bloomberg doesn't have any say over the traffic patterns in Albany.

thefacts

Shelly said "Broadway up and downtown". Broadway extends from downtown to uptown. To Yonkers and beyond in fact.

He was clearly meaning that in both areas of Bdwy, uptown and downtown - Times Square and Bdwy south of Houston - Bloomberg has reduced the number of traffic lanes, and congestion has increased as a result of that action.

Tower18

I see what you did there.

Also, Ohio. You forgot Ohio.

Think2wice

His first plan died in the Assembly. Ravitch's bridge tolls died in the Senate.

The only congestion pricing plan that takes into account the political reality of Albany and Outerborough politics is Sam Schwartz's Plan.

Divide and conquer the non-Manhattan pols. It's the only way this will get done. I can't understand why someone like Sam, with 30 plus years of NYC and Albany experience and unmatched transportation credentials, keeps getting unrecognized or dismissed.

BTW, Shyellie Seelvah needs to grow a pair before he's ever capable of backing up any of his unsubstantiated claims.

JenChungsBaby

I'm glad Shelley killed congestion pricing but he's just wrong about the other stuff. The mayor didn't create congestions with those traffic changes. NYC traffic will fill up whatever space is alloted to it. All the changes did was give less space to traffic and more space for people.

nicemarmot

So um...does Shelly Silver have any evidence to back up his assertions? I avoid Times Square like the plague, but a cabbie took me through there a few weeks ago and it seemed fine. In fact, the traffic seemed to be moving *better* than it has on most of my trips through that area.

seth matthew

Of course there's no proof. He is demonstrably wrong. Besides, since when has anyone needed proof to oppose change?

Duffy

I absolutely LOVE what's happened to Broadway over the past few years. The bottom line is, more people experience this city as pedestrians, and we need to start adapting the infrastructure to accommodate that.

Kevin Bracken

Funny how people come around to certain good ideas only in times of desperation, like congestion pricing and taxing marijuana.

Also the pedestrianization comparison is just plain wrong. Traffic has improved in Times Square, not worsened. But the goal is not to make life easier for drivers anyway- it's for pedestrians and transit riders. Duh.