Not so long ago, there were obstacles to the introduction of toll entry into Manhattan, caused by the position of the previous White House administration. Now these barriers are no longer there, and the implementation of the project began to unfold at an accelerated pace.
The Federal Highway Administration has explained to the MTA management what kind of environmental impact assessment must be carried out, and within a short time frame, before paid entry is allowed. Acting head of the agency Stephanie Pollack said: “Our new approach will ensure broad public participation. And local and state leaders will have the opportunity to explore additional opportunities to streamline traffic, improve air quality, and increase the number of passengers. ” Pollack noted that representatives of the neighboring states of New York – Connecticut and New Jersey should participate in the discussion.
This is the first move by the federal government since 2019, that is, since the state legislature decided on tolls in Manhattan south of 61st Street (excluding West Side Highway and FDR Drive). The text of the law refers to the congestion pricing program, as the goal is believed to be to reduce congestion and generally reduce traffic in the busiest part of New York. In addition, the proceeds from the tolls, which are supposed to go into the pocket of the AIT, will bring at least $ 15 billion. The participation of the feds is necessary because many Manhattan streets receive subsidies from Washington. The Trump administration did not say yes or no to the project. As a result, the originally scheduled date for the introduction of tolls from January 2021 was not met. We talked about a new date – 2023. But now there are hopes that this may happen earlier, although not as quickly as the authorities would like. In addition to the environmental impact assessment, a number of other issues have to be resolved. In particular, the MTA board should appoint a six-person Traffic Mobility Review Board. Council members will have to determine how much drivers should pay and which of them can be exempted from this fee. In addition, public hearings must be held. And it is the state’s job to provide equipment that reads information from the E-ZPass and license plates.
Newspaper headline:
Manhattan toll-free project will accelerate