Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Andrew Cuomo

Riders Alliance: Cuomo Must Convene Congestion Pricing Workgroup by August 15

Riders Alliance members outside Governor Cuomo’s office this afternoon. Photo: Riders Alliance

Riders Alliance members have a message for Governor Cuomo: Get serious about congestion pricing.

The state budget that was approved at the end of March created a panel called the Metropolitan Transportation Sustainability Advisory Workgroup that is supposed to address the New York region's ballooning transportation concerns — including taking up the governor's pricing proposal.

But with a January deadline fast-approaching, only the Assembly has announced its appointments to the workgroup. Governor Cuomo, Senate Republicans, Mayor de Blasio, and the MTA itself are all MIA.

Last year, Cuomo, without taking input from city or state lawmakers, recommended congestion pricing as part of his "Fix NYC" plan. The workgroup was intended to bring more parties to the table.

The governor plans to make his appointments "in the coming days," spokesperson Peter Ajemian told Politico. For Riders Alliance, that loose commitment isn't enough. They're calling on Cuomo to appoint members by August 15 — the halfway mark between the budget's passage and January 1.

"It’s up to you to now convene the Workgroup to refine the FixNYC proposal by adding the detail and incentives needed to win broad legislative support for congestion pricing in the next state budget," several Riders Alliance members wrote in a letter delivered this afternoon to Cuomo's Manhattan offices [PDF]. "The longer we wait, the more modernization will cost us and the more we and our 8.5 million fellow daily riders will suffer needlessly."

The workgroup will eventually have 10 members: three appointed by the governor's office, two by the Assembly, two by the State Senate, two by de Blasio, one by the MTA.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

New Bill Would Block Apps From Deactivating Workers Without Cause

A Brooklyn Council member wants delivery app companies to be more human and less robot.

July 18, 2025

Friday Video: Is Berlin a Great Biking City?

Have recent moves by anti-bike, pro-car legislators ruined the experience in the capital of a unified Germany? Sort of!

July 18, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Meeker Avenue Bike Lane Is a Failure

The Department of Transportation still hasn't finished a critical bike lane under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that the agency has been stalling for over four years even after identifying the strip's danger and lack of proper signals.

July 18, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Cuomo’s Road Rage Edition

Why does Andrew Cuomo drive so recklessly? Plus other news.

July 18, 2025

Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off

Mayor Adams has delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue despite once saying safety fixes there should be "at the top of our list."

July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

July 17, 2025
See all posts