Congestion Pricing for NYC Would Provide Clear Benefits to All
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
Congestion pricing will be implemented in New York City next year. There are challenges to implementing the new program, but unfortunately some politicians, such as state Senate candidate Gina Arena, are spreading misinformation to make electoral gains.
Congestion pricing is not a tax, it is a solution for the burden that tens of thousands of private vehicles put on the region. Nor is it unproven, having been successfully implemented in Singapore, Stockholm, Milan and London, which benefited from a 30 percent reduction in traffic congestion during the first year of the program in 2003.
New York City’s congestion pricing program will also result in fewer cars, less traffic and easier parking. Automobile traffic would decline, and thousands of trucks would no longer clog city streets. The MTA would benefit from increased funding and better service, which would result in a ridership boost on subway, bus and commuter rail lines. This decreased traffic will also provide environmental benefits by reducing particulate matter and carbon dioxide emissions, reducing hospitalizations for asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Rather than advocating only for people who can afford to drive everywhere, I’d hope Ms. Arena would want to help constituents who also need public transit. Sen. Pete Harckham is supporting solutions that will effectively impact the true cost of regional transportation and boost the economy. Ms. Arena’s criticisms do not offer any real fixes to the challenges of traffic and poor air quality that are required to improve the lives of Hudson Valley and New York residents.
Pete Friedrich
Mount Kisco
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