MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – MTA officials reviewed congestion pricing and transit projects during the agency's monthly board meeting on Wednesday.
Commissioners saw a presentation about potential changes to plans. They also reviewed a resolution that acknowledges the pause and directs the agency to implement it at a later date.
State lawmakers and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed congestion pricing in 2019. The state law offered some specific directions to the MTA for implementation, including a traffic mobility review board to create proposals.
Around 140 members of the public signed up to speak at the meeting at MTA headquarters in Lower Manhattan. Comments were taken in-person and online.
Public comment ran for an hour and the remaining people recorded their comments to be transcribed for the board.
Gov. Kathy Hochul paused the congestion pricing plan back on June 5.
She said the timing for congestion pricing is not right, as it adds another barrier to visiting Manhattan's Central Business District. Despite her decision to delay congestion pricing, she also repeated her support for the concept.
In a statement, Governor Hochul pointed out her support for funding the MTA during previous budget sessions.
“In the coming months, my team will work with the MTA to further develop a comprehensive approach to fund both the remaining projects in the 2020-2024 capital plan and the new capital plan. And I will continue to work in partnership with the State Legislature to implement comprehensive solutions and ensure appropriate funding sources in next year’s budget,” Hochul said.
She also believes, “there are additional opportunities for savings and improved revenues within existing MTA operations.”
In 2023, the MTA’s leadership team identified more than $400 million in operating efficiencies.
After speaking at the board meeting during public comment, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander said his office and experts are exploring every possibility, including legal avenues, to get congestion pricing back on track.
“Traffic in Lower Manhattan has never been worse while our transit system is plagued by delays, in urgent need of repairs, and worst of all, inaccessible. The policy that would amend all those problems at once is now lost, and the MTA will face a $15 billion hole in its capital budget which will only take us further away from a state of world-class service that benefits every New Yorker,” Comptroller Lander said.
Some have spoken in favor of congestion pricing and are pushing the MTA to move ahead with the original start date, which was supposed to be June 30.
State law does not set a start date.
The state Department of Transportation has to give final approval to the MTA's plan.