Congestion pricing keeps getting more popular and is almost fully out of the so-called "Valley of Political Death."
You know that valley — it's where congestion pricing plans worldwide have fallen in the weeks before they are implemented (see chart). But there's another global phenomenon: weeks after the tolls are implemented, they begin getting more popular.
We're seeing that in New York City. In the latest Siena College Research Institute poll released yesterday, 39 percent of voters said they support the tolls and 41 percent say they oppose it (the remainder aren't sure).
That may not sound great to boosters, but back in December, the results were 29 percent supporting and 51 percent opposing. And the rising support comes during an unprecedented attack on the toll by the Trump administration (which has a big megaphone that includes multiple social media channels and a house organ called the New York Post).
Admittedly the wording in the polls wasn't exactly the same (and may reflect some local opposition to the president): In May, Siena asked, "Gov. Hochul says that congestion pricing in Manhattan is working, reducing traffic and raising revenue for the MTA, and it should remain. President Trump says that congestion pricing is nothing more than an unfair tax on working commuters, and it should be eliminated. Do you think congestion pricing should remain, be eliminated or [are you] in the middle."
In December, the same esteemed polling outfit asked, "in June, Gov. Hochul put a $15 congestion pricing toll plan for Manhattan on hold. Last month, after the election, Gov. Hochul reinstituted a $9 congestion pricing plan, set to begin in January. Do you support or oppose the governor's decision to implement the $9 congestion pricing toll for Manhattan?"
But the results are clear: a 20-point swing in popularity of the $9 toll in just four-plus months.
In other news:
- A Democrat defeated a Republican in a special state Senate election in a super-conservative, mostly Orthodox Jewish district in Brooklyn. We'll have more on the race later today. (The Hill)
- People forget that one of the greatest of all the car harms is that cars deprive children of independence and freedom of movement. Paris has solved that. (Momentum)
- The Trump Justice Department has opened a criminal probe of Andrew Cuomo. But in New York City does being investigated by Trump help or hurt a mayoral campaign? (NY Times)
- The City looked at the sorry state of bridge infrastructure.
- The usually anti-bike Chelsea News mentioned our courthouse coverage of the criminal summons crackdown.
- Yesterday's news tomorrow: Everyone covered our earlier scoop about the 34th Street busway plan. (amNY, Gothamist)
- OMNY? More like, "Oh, my!" (The City)
- Welcome to the bike lash: Mayor Adams will be in Williamsburg on Thursday night to discuss public safety, which the anti-bike outlet Williamsburg365 calls, "An ongoing source of outrage and concern among community members." Hopefully someone will remind the mayor that a major source of outrage and concern were the crashes and injuries that occurred on the stretch before the bike lane went in. In the six months since the bike lane went in, there have been 26 reported crashes injuring 13 people, including one pedestrian. But in the same six-month period one year earlier, there were 31 reported crashes, injuring 20 people, including one pedestrian. So the bike lane is not causing a public safety crisis worthy of the likely mayoral revanchism. Want to attend? Email rsvpcau@cityhall.nyc.gov (though space is limited, we're told).
- It was nice to see Hell Gate take a look at the Lower Manhattan Council race, which our own Charles Komanoff explored last month.
- Upper East Site has a picture of just how vulnerable a vulnerable road user can be.
- So much for my (and many others') summer vacation from Newark. (NY Post, Gothamist)
