President Trump's decision to end congestion pricing presents a new challenge — one that Streetsblog will be chronicling every step of the way.
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The mayoral vanishing act continues.
Mayor Adams dodged questions about congestion pricing on Thursday, one day after President Trump moved to axe the tolls and blow away billions of dollars that would improve the lives of millions of working-class commuters while also reducing pollution and crashes.
Adams, who has declined to put out a statement on the White House's attack on his city's transit riders, has refused to criticize the Commander-in-Chief, as the Trump Justice Department is offering to drop corruption charges against him in exchange for his help with immigration crackdowns.
Hizzoner, who has not held an open press conference since Feb. 4, would not bite at a "quality-of-life" press conference on Thursday when Streetsblog asked him point blank whether he will stand up to Trump on this central quality-of-life issue.
Here's how the exchange went down.
Streetsblog: "[There's a] serious issue facing New Yorkers: worsened traffic, air pollution, increased crashes ... that could happen if Donald Trump yanks congestion pricing. You said it's a state issue, but Gov. Hochul yesterday made clear that the city's commuters are now, "roadkill on Donald Trump's revenge tour against New York." So will you stand up for New Yorkers quality of life that's under threat by ending congestion pricing."
Mayor Adams: "We’re taking about the Hub." [A reference to The Bronx location where the presser occurred.]
Streetsblog: "So you don't have anything to say about congestion pricing?"
At that point, Adams's press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus jumped in to warn that any further off-topic questions would prompt an end to the media availability.
When PIX11 News's political reporter Henry Rosoff followed up with a question about Gov. Hochul setting up "guardrails" to monitor the mayor, Mamelak Altus abruptly wrapped up the Q-and-A session, calling reporters "ridiculous."
Adams walked out holding two thumbs up to the audience as his remix of "Empire State of Mind" drained out remaining reporters's questions.
Advocates were baffled by the mayor's pure refusal to stand up for his constituents.
"This moment calls for a fearless leader. New York City and urbanist values are likely going to remain a target for Trump’s administration. And if our mayor won’t stand up to that we’re very vulnerable to continued attacks to our funding, governance, and just general way of life," said Sara Lind, co-executive director of Open Plans (which shares a parent company with Streetsblog).
Adams (for now) remains the city's chief executive, so he should make good on his campaign pledges to improve the Big Apple's public transportation, another transit booster said.
"In order to prove he’s still the mayor he has to follow through on his promise to bus riders and his obligation to follow the law," said Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director at Riders Alliance. "In the current moment, the mayor is much diminished in his power and answers almost entirely to the president and the governor who control his fate, and yet he still controls the city streets."
The mayor has typically distanced himself from congestion pricing, most recently on Wednesday. He was the sole major elected official who did not offer an opinion on the president's decision to end congestion pricing.
He did briefly address the issue on News 12 — declining to say one way or another how he felt about Trump’s moves against the toll or its potential impact on New Yorkers.
“Governor Cuomo passed this legislation and the state lawmakers moved it forward, and MTA is now responsible for the implementation of that, and the governor is going to make the decision on what’s the next step on it," the mayor told the TV station Wednesday. "I have enough going on in these five boroughs to decide what’s going to happen… This is not city controlled, it's state controlled."
Traffic is down in the congestion relief zone, roads are safer, and even Broadway is selling more tickets, thanks to the more inviting streetscape, according to the MTA.
It's not the first time that Adams has disappointed the livable streets movement. He infamously campaigned on being the "bus mayor" — a promise he swiftly abandoned after assuming office. The mayor has also failed repeatedly and miserably to meet the annual mileage requirements for new bus lanes, and ditched or punted key projects.
