Mayor Bill de Blasio Would Fix Congestion Without Tolling Drivers

"Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday that charging motorists for driving in busy Manhattan is 'not part of my vision' to ease congestion in New York City," reports Mathew Chayes.

Mayor de Blasio's intentions regarding congestion have been a mystery since he teased the idea of a congestion plan during an interview on WNYC at the end of January.

The statement is a rebuttal to a proposed tolling plan called Move NY, which would "toll the four free East River bridges and travel south of 60th Street in Manhattan" and "reduce tolls on other bridges, such as the Throgs Neck, between Queens and the Bronx," according to Chayes.

A separate article by David Meyer suggests four ideas the mayor could consider to reduce traffic without implementing tolls:

1. Charge smarter prices for curbside parking
2. Parking placard reform
3. HOV restrictions on East River bridges
4. Prioritize bus service on city streets

Mayor Bill de Blasio promised a congestion plan in the coming weeks during a recent State of the City address that mostly focused on affordability issues.