NY Gov Orders Halt To NYC Congestion Pricing Plan

The New York Times reports:

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced on Wednesday that she was indefinitely shelving the long-awaited tolling scheme known as congestion pricing, just weeks before it was to go into effect.

Ms. Hochul said that her decision was not an easy one, but she felt it was crucial in light of the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the city’s economy, as well as on working families.

“Let’s be real: A $15 charge may not seem like a lot to someone who has the means but it can break the budget of a hard-working or middle-class household,” Ms. Hochul said.

Read the full article.

Earlier today, Politico reported that Hochul’s move was intended to shield vulnerable US House Democrats from commuter outrage.

With less than a month until the implementation of congestion pricing, Gov. Kathy Hochul has decided to postpone the tolling program indefinitely, sources familiar with governor’s plans tell NY1. https://t.co/KBxqzNhJOs

— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) June 5, 2024

NEW: Gov. Kathy Hochul has indefinitely paused implementation of New York’s first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan to charge drivers who enter Manhattan’s central business district — less than a month before it was supposed to begin.https://t.co/b46LXm5TTN

— ABC News (@ABC) June 5, 2024