Thursday’s Headlines: Bloomberg Backtrack Edition

Mayor Bloomberg when he announced the city's car-sharing program. File photo: Noah Kazis.
Mayor Bloomberg when he announced the city's car-sharing program. File photo: Noah Kazis.

So much for Mike Bloomberg’s legacy.

The media company that bears the former mayor’s name issued a Twitter “QuickTake” on congestion pricing that simply took our breath away yesterday:

That take was awful, but it was merely a reflection of the car-centric news story to which the tweet linked, which complained of how “motorists coming from Dutchess/Putnam Counties in New York would be charged a total average of $111,” which is a preposterous spin, given that only a tiny bit of that is the toll charge and the rest is the cost of owning a car, paying for gas and upkeep and insurance.

This from an outlet that proudly bears the name of congestion pricing’s original standard-bearer. Shame. (To be fair equally repulsed, Crain’s also took a driver’s-eye view of the situation.)

The internet reacted negatively:

In other news:

  • We certainly expected backlash to congestion pricing on the day when the full environmental assessment was released (and the Daily News finally got around to covering it), but we not only got the backlash — in the form of an incoherent and factually inaccurate tweet from 1010WINS reporter Juliet Papa — but also a backlash to her backlash. (We also got a reaction story in Gothamist.)

Meanwhile, Nicole Gelinas of the NY Post had a good take linking congestion pricing to placard abuse, using the environmental assessment’s own figures:

  • New York City is a “platinum-level” walkable city. But you knew that! (DOT via Twitter)
  • A driver was slashed in a road-rage incident in Queens. (NYDN)
  • It was embargoed until 5 a.m. today, but Sen. Chuck Schumer let out the good news about a federal discretionary grant of $7-plus-million to plan more greenways. Kea Wilson wrote up the larger story for Streetsblog USA, which may not live yet (depending on when you’re clicking on this).
  • Speaking of the feds, the MTA got another $116 million in clean energy grants to buy more electric buses to give some company to the paltry 25 e-buses that we currently have. (NYDN)
  • The MTA is stepping up its efforts to catch toll dodgers. (amNY)
  • Wow, the Post wrote about a rat that wasn’t even near a restaurant!
  • Another motorcyclist is dead, but the preliminary report leaves lots of questions. (NYDN)
  • And, finally, stars, they’re just like us (even in black-and-white and in Boston):

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Hakeem Jeffries Responds to Congestion Pricing Critics

|
From today’s Crain’s Insider: Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, who is holding a rally this evening for better G train service, is drawing fire from transit advocates because of his opposition to congestion pricing. Streetsblog commenters plan to confront him at the rally. "Simply because one did not support the mayor’s version of congestion pricing does not […]

Congestion Pricing Plan Advancing Rapidly

|
Sewell Chan at the New York Times’ Empire Zone has more on this morning’s meeting between Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Spitzer and US Dept. of Transportation secretary Mary Peters: Mr. Spitzer said at a news conference this morning, "There will always be some congestion and the good news is there is economic growth and there’s vitality […]

After Pricing Proposal: Mayor’s Approval at Record High

|
One month after unveiling the specifics of PlaNYC in his Earth Day speech, amidst a public debate about his congestion pricing plan, the Mayor’s approval rating is near his record high. Crain’s New York reports: A nearly record percentage of New York City voters continue to approve of the job Mayor Michael Bloomberg is doing, […]

Quinn Makes Pricing Panel Picks

|
From Elizabeth Benjamin at The Daily Politics: Aides to Council Speaker Christine Quinn are calling Council members this morning with the news that none of them made the cut when it came to her three appointments to the 17-member city/state commission that will decide the fate of Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan. According to Council […]

Car-Free Parks: Now More Than Ever

|
It was on last year’s Earth Day that Mayor Bloomberg unveiled his far-reaching plans to make New York City more sustainable, with congestion pricing as one of the centerpieces. For some reason, making Central and Prospect Parks car-free did not make the list of 127 announced initiatives. With congestion pricing off the table for now […]