Congestion Pricing

Tonight, the MTA will host a public hearing in Brooklyn, where the agency will undoubtedly hear from scores of residents terrified by the prospect of elimination or reduction of service on several of the borough's bus and subway lines. The self-appointed leader of the charge will be candidate for public advocate and current City Council Member Bill de Blasio, who sent out this e-mail blast ahead of tonight's meeting (via Gowanus Lounge):

This IBM ad, now airing during NFL playoff games, is definitely aimed at the motoring set. More remarkable than its windshield perspective, though, is that it's being used to introduce the concept of congestion pricing to sports-obsessed Americans, and it doesn't get more mainstream than that.

Ted Kheel and Charles Komanoff are out with an updated version of their plan to fund low-cost transit with congestion fees on cars and trucks. Coming hot on the heels of Kheel Plan II, the latest iteration -- called Kheel-Komanoff -- lowers the cordon tolls in a bid for political support but does not close the MTA's budget deficit:

Biggest Setback: After being approved by an unprecedented civic coalition, the mayor and New York City Council, congestion pricing -- the one policy measure that simultaneously reduces traffic congestion while raising money for mass transit and livable streets -- died in an Albany backroom without even a vote.

Whatever your stance on the Ravitch Commission's MTA rescue plan, the broad inequities of allowing New York transit service to deteriorate while fares rise 23 percent are stunning. The doomsday budget passed earlier this week would affect vastly more New Yorkers than bridge tolls or congestion pricing, burdening those who can least afford the added delay and expense.

Under the Ravitch Plan, driving into Manhattan over the Third Avenue Bridge will be a relative bargain for Richard Brodsky's Westchester constituents.

State Senator-Elect Dan Squadron, whose district includes lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, released a statement this afternoon [PDF] in response to the MTA's approval of its doomsday budget. Taking a different tack than fellow Chuck Schumer protegé Anthony Weiner, Squadron lays some responsibility for the health of our transit system at the feet of the state legislature:

Channel 13 is promoting tonight's episode of "New York Voices" with an online poll asking, "Should there be tolls on the East River Bridges?" I don't know. Should motorists get a free ride into Manhattan while subway riders face massive fare increases? What do you think?

Today Ted Kheel released a revised version of his plan to fund transit through a congestion pricing mechanism on motor vehicle traffic. Streetsblog spoke to one of Kheel's lead analysts, Charles Komanoff, about the updated plan (see the major components here) and why he believes it offers a more comprehensive answer to New York City's transportation problems than the MTA rescue package unveiled by the Ravitch Commission last week. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.