New York Officials Balk at Congestion Pricing Lawsuits

After New Jersey announced its plan to sue the Federal Highway Administration over New York’s congestion pricing program (more on that here and here), New York Governor Kathy Hochul doubled down on the proposed plan, reports Dave Colon in Streetsblog NYC. At a press conference, Hochul asserted that “Congestion pricing is going to happen.”

Colon explains the claims made in the lawsuit and how they conflict with the environmental review conducted by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), such as outsized traffic increases. “Murphy's suit also falsely suggests that if New Jersey communities suffer environmental harms, they won't have access to any of the MTA's promised mitigation efforts — things like additional roadside greenery, green space improvements and air filtration units in high schools near highways.”

According to John McCarthy, MTA's Chief of External Relations, “Contrary to any claim that there was insufficient study, the EA actually covered every conceivable potential traffic, air quality, social and economic effect, and also reviewed and responded to more than 80,000 comments and submissions.”

The borough of Staten Island is also suing the MTA to stop the program from going forward.