Experts Predict NYC Will (Re)Try Congestion Pricing

In April, 2008, the state assembly rejected Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan. In this recent panel, the experts agree that the revenue the project would have produced for improving city transportation infrastructure is vital to its future.

February 5, 2010, 9am PST | Irvin Dawid

"At a panel put on by the New School last week, some of New York's biggest players in transportation and planning came together to discuss the future of the city's infrastructure. They all seemed to agree: The city can't keep up with its global competitors without new sources of revenue."

Panelists discussed the need to finance the many, huge transit projects underway, and suggested real estate 'value capture' finance be enacted. In addition, bus-rapid-transit has a greater role to play as a less expensive addition to the transport infrastructure, some suggested.

Christopher Ward, the executive director of the Port Authority, claimed that "the congestion pricing initiative will return time and time again until we get it right."

"Robert Yaro, the president of Regional Plan Association, agreed: "Congestion pricing is going to be back."

Thanks to Streetsblog Daily

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Infrastructure Bigs: To Compete, NYC Needs Congestion Pricing, Tolls

Published on Monday, February 1, 2010 in Streetsblog