Staten Island Joins NJ in Legal Battle Against Manhattan Congestion Pricing

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Staten Island is gearing up to join New Jersey in a legal fight against the implementation of the nation’s first congestion pricing toll system in Manhattan, as was reported by the New York Post. The controversial plan, spearheaded by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), aims to charge drivers up to $23 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. While proponents argue that congestion pricing will reduce traffic, improve air quality, and generate substantial revenue for transit services, opponents from Staten Island and New Jersey contend that the toll unfairly targets drivers and neglects the needs of their communities, the Post report indicated.

Often referred to as the “forgotten borough,” Staten Island’s residents and elected officials are deeply concerned about the impact of the congestion pricing plan on their daily lives. According to the Post report, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella’s office is actively preparing to file a lawsuit against the MTA to block the toll system. Fossella has spoken with Randy Mastro, the lawyer representing New Jersey in its lawsuit, and intends to rally other tri-state area elected officials to unite against the congestion pricing plan in court.

Fossella is concerned that the congestion pricing scheme will result in increased traffic being diverted to Staten Island, leading to financial burdens, worsened air quality, and more congestion within the borough.

One of the major grievances expressed by Staten Islanders is that the congestion pricing plan fails to include any discounts for drivers using the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to commute to and from Manhattan, the Post report indicated. This omission adds to the financial burden on the borough’s residents, leading to increased traffic diversion and concerns over air quality and congestion on Staten Island.

As the contentious issue of congestion pricing looms over Manhattan, former New York State Governor David Paterson has emerged as a vocal critic, citing concerns about the toll system’s potential impact on businesses and current traffic conditions. The Post reported that in a Sunday interview on WABC 770 AM’s Cats Roundtable with John Catsimatidis, Paterson expressed his reservations, calling the plan a “problem” and questioning the necessity of congestion pricing in the current environment.

“But the biggest problem of all is… its name is ‘congestion pricing’,” Paterson said, as was reported by the Post. “To have congestion pricing, you have to have congestion.”

“We have it every once in a while, but not to the extent that we did before [the pandemic]. Because of that, Manhattan… is in an egregious situation, where there’s really no commerce going on in the area, because no one’s coming into the stores, because the buildings are empty and no one is coming to work in the buildings,” Paterson added. The Post report said.

Paterson’s primary critique revolves around the timing of the congestion pricing proposal, as he believes that businesses have not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. He argues that the lack of significant congestion in Manhattan, compared to pre-pandemic levels, makes the toll system unwarranted.

The congestion pricing plan, set to be administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), is still awaiting a finalized toll price but could range from $9 to $23 per day for drivers entering the targeted business district south of 60th Street, as was reported by the Post. Paterson questions the viability of this pricing structure, especially given the current economic challenges facing businesses and commuters.

While Paterson once supported the concept of congestion pricing when it was initially proposed over a decade ago by then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, he now suggests that recent logistical issues within the city warrant a reconsideration of the plan in the future, the Post report indicated.

The criticism comes in the wake of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s federal lawsuit to block the toll system, claiming that it unfairly targets New Jersey drivers.

The Post also reported that on the other side of the debate, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the MTA defend the congestion pricing plan, asserting that it will not only reduce traffic but also improve air quality and generate significant revenue to enhance transit services. Mass transit advocates are also in favor of the plan, emphasizing the potential benefits for millions of commuters and neighboring states.

Both proponents and opponents of the toll system await the resolution of the legal battles and the fate of the congestion pricing plan in New York City.