Congestion Pricing Process Moves Forward in Albany

This afternoon the New York State Assembly voted 122-16 and the Senate voted 39-16 in favor of the process that would establish a 17-member commission to develop traffic mitigation measures for New York City. The commission’s plan would be required to produce a 6.3% reduction in average vehicle miles traveled in New York City.

Mayor Bloomberg praised the legislature and said that he is “confident that through our work with the commission, our proposal for congestion pricing will be implemented.”

The devil’s in the details says East Side Manhattan Senator Liz Krueger

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Paterson Backs Pricing, Introduces Bill in Albany

By Ben Fried |
David Paterson is going to do right by his old State Senate district after all. New York’s new governor settled any doubts about his position on congestion pricing this afternoon, introducing a bill that follows the recommendations of the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission. The Daily Politics has the scoop: "Congestion pricing addresses two urgent concerns […]

US DOT Gives NYC $354 Million for Congestion Pricing Plan

By Aaron Naparstek |
Sewell Chan at City Room has this morning’s news. Here are some excerpts from his report: The secretary of transportation announced this morning that the federal government will provide New York City with $354 million to implement congestion pricing in New York City, if the State Legislature acts by March 2008 to put in effect […]

Odds and Ends

By Aaron Naparstek |
New York and six other cities have their federal grant application presentations online here at the Transportation Research Board. Contrary to congestion pricing opponents who claim the July 16 federal deadline is a ruse. Patrick Decorla-Souza at the FHWA confirms that all of the "other applicants either already have statutory authority, or the granting of […]

Congestion Pricing: What’s the Deal?

By John Kaehny |
Nobody knows whether the convoluted and difficult congestion pricing "deal" reached by political leaders yesterday will actually result in anything. The deal is complex even by Albany standards. A few things, however, are clear: Mayor Bloomberg does not have a "green light" to move forward with congestion pricing, nor has he been granted any new […]

Pricing Advocates Call for Impact Study and New Parking Policies

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Congestion pricing advocate Carolyn Konheim and consulting partner Brian Ketcham are advising the Bloomberg administration to drop its resistance to a congestion pricing Environmental Impact Study. The two say a study is needed to head off "likely 11th hour litigation" aimed at stopping the three-year pilot program from taking effect, a possibility Streetsblog alluded to […]

Upstate Assembly Member Says City Delegation Killed Pricing

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What went on behind the closed doors of the Democratic conference the day congestion pricing died in the Assembly? According to a constituent letter from Binghamton rep Donna A. Lupardo, the "overwhelming majority" of New York City members were opposed to pricing, and upstate pols followed their lead. Thank you for your recent email concerning […]