Congestion pricing that would collect tolls from drivers who venture below 60th Street in Manhattan is moving forward after having previously been blocked by the Trump administration.The U.S. Federal Highway Administration on Tuesday announced that a required environmental review of the plan can take place.
Congestion pricing would impose tolls on vehicles that drive into midtown Manhattan and would reach as far south as Battery Park. The tolls would not be collected from vehicles on the West Side Highway or FDR Drive. The toll amounts have yet to be determined, but would likely vary according to the time of day and day of the week. Numbers from $1 to $15 have been floated.
Proponents suggest the plan could collect $1 billion in tolls per year. It has been viewed as a mechanism to provide increased support for mass transit, initially raising enough money to help support a $51.5 billion capital improvement plan for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Congestion pricing also is said to have environmental benefits by discouraging the use of cars, especially during commuting hours, thereby not only relieving traffic congestion but also improving air quality.
One of the necessary steps before congestion pricing could be put into effect is an environmental review. Under the Trump administration, the federal government would not allow that review process to move forward. Now, under President Joe Biden, the Federal Highway Administration has decided to allow a scaled-down review, known as an environmental assessment, to take place. Requiring a full environmental impact statement would have been more complex and time-consuming.
The MTA in a Twitter post reacting to the announcement said, “We’re a major step closer to accelerating our climate goals and securing the funding needed for our historic $51.5B capital plan, giving all New Yorkers the system they deserve.”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said, “Congestion pricing is an internationally proven method to reduce traffic congestion, enhance the availability and reliability of public transportation, and improve our air quality, and it will play a critical role as New York and the nation begin to recover from the pandemic and build back stronger and better than before.
