Aaron Naparstek

With congestion pricing stalled in Albany gridlock, what's next? What immediate measures can New York City take to reduce traffic congestion without having to go through Albany to implement them? How else might New York City reduce traffic congestion while raising a bit of money for transit, bicycling and pedestrian improvements? Back in May, Transportation Alternatives executive director Paul Steely White suggested that parking policy reform in this Gotham Gazette essay:

Mayor Bloomberg had harsh words for New York State's Democratic leadership at today's press conference in Brooklyn. Here is an abbreviated transcript of some of the question-and-answer period with the press:

State Assembly Member Richard Brodsky is displeased by the suggestion that his opposition to New York City's congestion pricing plan had anything to do with the fact that he has accepted more money from parking industry interests than any other State Assembly Member and that his district houses the wealthiest Manhattan car commuters in New York State.

Press conference at 11:30 am today. Here is the Mayor's statement on the New York State legislature's failure to act on New York City's congestion pricing plan: 

In his essay, "Valuing the Commons," Charles Komanoff discusses congestion pricing and carbon taxes and the difficulty in convincing people to pay for their negative externalities. Komanoff wrote it back in June and it's on Grist this week:

Albany Rebuffs City’s Traffic-Relief Plan, Gridlock Rules (NYT, News, Sun) A Bizarre Day, Even by Albany Standards (News) Think Traffic’s Bad in NYC? Check out Cairo (NYT) Legislative Inaction Reflects the Will of the People (Sun) Indian Glaciers in Retreat (NYT) What Our Grandparents Can Teach us About Saving the Planet (Mike Davis)  Bedford Ave. … Continued

Depressed about the direction Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan is heading? Cheer yourself up by starting to plan for Park(ing) Day 2007. Friday, September 21 is the day when urban dwellers the world over pop quarters into parking meters and take over on-street spaces, temporarily transforming them into miniature parks, playgrounds, cafés and community spaces.

Brooklyn Assembly Member Jim Brennan (right) tells me that he sees sentiment against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan running at about "three- or four-to-one against" among his colleagues. Brennan suspects that the plan may not even pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

Bloomberg Lobbies for Pricing, Warns of Transit Repercussions (NYT, News, Sun) Pro and Con Groups Rally on the Steps of City Hall (NY1)  Judgement Day for Congestion Pricing and Sheldon Silver (News) Congestion Pricing Plan Won’t Die on Monday (News) Valuing the Commons: Congestion Pricing’s Hidden Payoff (Komanoff)  The Green Road Less Traveled (Friedman)  Parking … Continued

On Sunday, July, 15, 2007 neighborhood opponents of the Mayor’s Congestion Pricing plan will hold a rally and press conference at City Hall to protest the Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to tax cars going into the City’s central business district.