Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

congestion pricing

congestion pricing

  • Transit Advocates to Storm Albany for MTA Action

    riders fix the subway sign

    (photo: @RidersNY)


    With the “summer of hell” in the past and sustained heat on Governor Andrew Cuomo to fix the long-neglected subway system, one of New York City’s most prominent straphanger advocacy groups will travel to Albany to demand action from Cuomo and the state Legislature.

    Riders Alliance members will go to the state capital on Monday, February 12, to rally, garner media attention, and meet with lawmakers, hoping to push Cuomo and the Legislature to pass a new long-term funding mechanism for repairing, maintaining, and

    ...
  • MTA Funding Fight May Dominate This Year’s City-State Budget Struggle

    36468561375 7f08a42b5b z

    Gov. Cuomo in the subway (photo: The Governor's Office)


    Three key points of contention between the city and the state have emerged over transit funding, highlighted during Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Chair Joe Lhota’s testimony at the joint legislative hearing on transportation Thursday in Albany.

    The hearing, which included discussion of the MTA plan to restore New York City’s ailing subway system, occurred amid an ongoing feud between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo over the funding of crucial

    ...
  • Flanagan Provides Few Answers to Big Questions

    John Flanagan State Senate

    John Flanagan at Crain's breakfast (Ben Max/Gotham Gazette)


    State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan spoke publicly for nearly an hour Thursday morning in Manhattan, but said little on a variety of pressing topics. The Long Island Republican and key player in negotiations of the state budget and a variety of other legislative matters of great significance to New York City provided some indication of where he stands, but repeatedly gave evasive and unclear statements on issues related to housing, construction, economic development, and congestion

    ...
  • With MTA Facing Massive Shortfall, A Lot Riding on New Congestion Pricing Push

    Cuomo MTA subway escalator

    Gov. Cuomo in the subway (photo: The Governor's Office)


    Governor Cuomo’s “Fix NYC” commission produced a framework for a congestion pricing plan, released just after the governor’s Executive Budget for the 2018-19 Fiscal Year, which begins April 1. The congestion pricing framework outlines a three-year phase-in that would provide revenue of $1 billion to $1.5 billion a year starting in 2020, most of which would be intended for the MTA Capital Plan.

    That is also the year the MTA must begin its next five-year capital plan for continued

    ...
  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Congestion Pricing with Alex Matthiessen of Move New York

    mxm logo

    Ben Max, left, of Gotham Gazette, and Jarrett Murphy, right, of City Limits


    January 23, 2018 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Alex Matthiessen of Move New York

    alex matthiessen move ny

    When Mayor Bloomberg's attempt to pass a congestion pricing plan fell short, a new group emerged to figure out what went wrong and plot a new path toward a program to reduce congestion in Manhattan and create

    ...
  • Leading Congestion Pricing Advocate Explains Path to Passage

    subway station MTA

    (photo: The Governor's Office)


    Alex Matthiessen, the founder and director of Move New York, joined the Max & Murphy Podcast Tuesday to discuss the path ahead for congestion pricing now that Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Fix NYC” panel has releases its recommendations and the governor is vowing to negotiation with the Legislature to pass measures that will reduce congestion in Manhattan and create dedicated funds for the

    ...
  • Debate Showcases Sharp Differences Among Mayoral Candidates on Transit, Congestion

    de Blasio subway

    De Blasio on the subway (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayor's Office)


    The first general election mayoral debate, held Tuesday, was often devoid of substance amid repeated interruptions of a restive audience and candidates who seemed more interested in scoring political points than talking policy. Mayor Bill de Blasio regularly retreated to stump speech talking points as his opponents, Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis and retired NYPD detective Bo Dietl, attacked him over and over again. Malliotakis offered up a few policy proposals while Dietl

    ...
  • Congestion Pricing Won't Solve New York's Transportation Woes

    Cuomo MTA bus

    Gov. Cuomo and a bus (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin/Governor's Office)


    Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent vague interest in congestion pricing as a solution to problems at the MTA may give new life to one of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s key policy goals, but absent transportation improvements officials could be making now, pricing will not save our subways. We cannot let them off the hook in search of the perceived silver bullet of congestion pricing.

    The transportation community has been salivating over Cuomo’s statement that “congestion pricing

    ...
  • Calls for Small & Large Fixes to City Congestion, Transit Woes

    trottenberg chan mccarten

    Cmsr Trottenberg, right (photos: John McCarten/City Council)


    The New York City Council Committee on Transportation held a hearing Monday to discuss sources of, and solutions to, traffic congestion in the city.

    City Council Member Ydanis Rodríguez, chair of the committee, began the hearing by lamenting New York City’s heavy traffic. “As most New Yorkers can tell you, our streets look like parking lots,” said Rodríguez, a Democrat from upper Manhattan. In addition to economic impediments and general inconvenience, the Council member framed

    ...