Congestion Pricing Details Emerge From MTA’s Environmental Assessment

The New York MTA earlier this week released the Environmental Assessment for the long-awaited congestion pricing scheme proposed for a section of Manhattan, reports Stephen Nessen for Gothamist.

The Central Business District Tolling Program Environmental Assessment (EA), which is available for public review, includes new details about how congestion pricing—more accurately described as cordon pricing—will work in Manhattan. “The congestion pricing assessment considered a range of tolling schemes for vehicles, including one that charged as little as $9 during peak hours,” explains Nessen. The high end of the range for private automobile owners could go to $23. “The tolls for commercial vehicles and trucks range from $12 to $82,” reports Nessen.

As for the other end of the equation, the congestion program is expected to raise $1 billion for improvements to public transit.

About 80% of the money raised would go toward subways and buses, with 10% to the Long Island Rail Road and 10% to Metro-North. The current capital plan stands at up to $56 billion, and revenue from the proposed congestion pricing plan would cover 30% of it. The MTA hopes to invest the $1 billion and generate $15 billion in total.

More background on the long road to this point for congestion pricing in New York City are included in the source article below, in addition to some discussion about the potential impact of congestion pricing on the public realm in the nation’s most populous city.