Joe.My.God. LGBT News
New York City’s ABC affiliate reports:
The MTA received final approval to move forward with congestion pricing on Monday. The green light comes from the Federal Highway Administration, which issued a Finding of No Significant Impact from congestion pricing.
“Congestion pricing will reduce traffic in our crowded downtown, improve air quality and provide critical resources to the MTA,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
“I am proud of the thorough environmental assessment process we conducted, including responding to thousands of comments from community members from across the region. With the green light from the federal government, we look forward to moving ahead with the implementation of this program.”
The New York Times reports:
The M.T.A., which runs the city’s subways and buses and the metropolitan area’s commuter railroads and is overseeing the congestion pricing program, hasn’t set a fee scale yet. But a report that it released in August showed that one proposal under review would charge $23 for a rush-hour trip into Midtown and $17 during off-peak hours.
Congestion pricing, which New York lawmakers approved in 2019, is expected to generate $1 billion annually for the M.T.A. Other cities around the world have had success with similar programs. According to research prepared for the U.S. Department of Transportation, London, Singapore and Stockholm all experienced less traffic after setting up their own tolls.
Breaking News: Congestion pricing in New York City cleared its final federal hurdle, all but ensuring that the first program in the U.S. will begin next year, in an effort to reduce traffic and pollution in Manhattan and fund improvements to mass transit. https://t.co/CxtOxNy2Ks
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 26, 2023