Surprise, Surprise: Congestion Comes from Jersey
December 11th, 2007
As the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission continues to mull over traffic-calming proposals, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan, the city’s Independent Budget Office released a report this morning revealing those Manhattan-bound commuters will at least be able to afford the possible toll.
The report (available here) states that the majority of commuters entering the proposed congestion zone, which is below 86th Street in Manhattan, are not New Yorkers, and those that are driving private cars make 30 percent more than other commuters.
More than 25 percent of all car commuters come from the Garden State. It looks like New Jersey sends us their vehicles, while we send them our garbage.
By Courtney Gross on December 11, 2007, 12:48 pmIn category: Demographics, Transportation | 1 Comment »

December 13th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
25% really isn’t that high of a percentage of commuters.
The biggest problem with the commuter tax is that a lot of people in the outer boroughs have bad or no public transportation. Staten Island, for instance, still has no direct rail access to any other borough.
The second biggest problem is that the express bus service, which already is overcrowded and inadequate, will be flooded with more people if the congestion tax goes through.
Also, keep in mind that Bloomberg will not use the money from the commuter tax for public transportation. He will give it away to his rich friends. Giving city money to his rich friends has been the biggest priority for Bloomberg since the day he took office.