Congestion Pricing

Perhaps getting tired of seeing his PlaNYC centerpiece attacked by lawmakers from outside the city, Mayor Bloomberg had some frank remarks for congestion pricing critic Assemblyman Richard Brodsky on the radio today.

The first hearings conducted by the New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission were held yesterday, with one in White Plains and another at Hofstra University.

From the New York Times:

One of the most repeated criticisms of congestion pricing is that the city isn't taking relatively simple measures within its control to ease traffic-related problems. The Times today offers its take on three of them.

Responding to some politicians' claims that congestion pricing is a "regressive tax" that would impact "working stiffs" who must drive to their jobs, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the Pratt Center for Community Development have compiled data, broken down by district, showing that the vast majority of commuters in New York City and surrounding counties would not be affected by a congestion pricing fee. In district after district, the stats show that most people either work somewhere other than the proposed pricing zone or commute to the CBD via transit, carpooling or other means. Fact sheets are available for City Council, State Assembly and Senate, and US Congressional districts.

A constituent letter from State Senator Liz Krueger, representing the East Side and Midtown in the 26th District:

On Wednesday, Jeffrey Zupan, Regional Plan Association's transportation analyst, issued a comprehensive rebuttal of the main traffic reducing measures proposed in Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free's anti-congestion pricing report, “Alternative Approaches to Traffic Congestion Mitigation in the Manhattan Central Business District."

As part of its statutory mandate, the 17-member New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission is conducting a series of public hearings to be held in each borough, on Long Island, and in Westchester County. The purpose of the hearings is to take testimony from the public, and to obtain and review information and proposals regarding traffic congestion. While these hearings are sure to be excruciating and Commission Chair Marc Shaw has noted that he's not a huge fan of the public process, it will probably be extremely important for people who want to see a greener, less gridlocked future for the New York Metropolitan region to make their voices heard at all seven meetings:

Matthew Schuerman offers up a brief but insightful profile of Westchester Assembly member Richard Brodsky in this week's Observer. Who is the man who holds the keys to the future of New York City transportation policy?