Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Congestion Pricing

Jessica is Lappin’ up the Congestion Pricing Anxiety

lappin.jpgAt a City Council transportation hearing yesterday Manhattan City Council Member Jessica Lappin expressed anxiety about the effects of congestion pricing on her Upper East Side district. The ill-informed Lappin, who clearly has not read Donald Shoup's 750-page masterwork, The High Cost of Free Parking, asked DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan if the city would be building new municipal parking garages to accompany Mayor Bloomberg's traffic-reduction plan. Metro reports:

Under the mayor's congestion pricing proposal, drivers will have to pay a toll to go south of 86th Street in Manhattan. At a City Council hearing yesterday, Councilwoman Jessica Lappin drew a bleak picture.

"There will be a crush of cars circling around 86th Street looking for parking spots that don't exist," said Lappin, who feared the downtown-bound bridge-and-tunnel crowd would use her Upper East Side district as a parking lot before catching a train. "I envision idling, and more congestion, and more pollution in the air, because there aren't places for these cars to go." Parking in a garage would be out of the question, she said: "The garages up there are full."

Janette Sadik-Khan, two weeks into her job as the city's transportation commissioner, had a simple solution: a residential parking permit. Such permits would allow only residents to park on the street. Violators would be fined and perhaps towed.

Lappin wasn't buying it: "A residential parking permit is a hunting license." She believed plenty of outsiders would still be looking for a place to land. "Is the city considering municipal garages?" she asked.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

HEAR IT! Staten Island Pol Loves to Speed — Then Shrugs Off His Recklessness

Council Member David Carr has 12 speed-camera tickets, one red light ticket and one bus lane infraction since Feb. 2, 2023. But does he care? No.

June 26, 2025

Here’s What Mamdani Can Steal From Other Candidates To Strengthen His Livable Streets Platform

Zohran Mamdani bested Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination, but he can still glean ideas from other candidates to strengthen his appeal.

June 26, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: (Re) Enter Eric Edition

So long, Cuomo, but here comes Eric Adams 2.0. Plus other news.

June 26, 2025

Cuomo’s Car Speaks: ‘This Is All My Fault’

"I told him, 'Just leave me in the garage,' but you know Andrew — he just wouldn't listen. And then we lost."

June 25, 2025
See all posts