MTA must ‘come clean’ about how much NYC congestion toll would rake in ‘on backs’ of families: NJ Rep. Josh Gottheimer
A New Jersey congressman challenged the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to “come clean” Thursday about how much money New York will rake in from its planned congestion toll in Manhattan.
Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer demanded “transparency” over the $15 toll for drivers entering Midtown Manhattan as he accused MTA bosses of covering up key revenue-raising details of the plan, which Empire State transit officials have projected could bring in $1 billion per year.
“Why won’t the MTA just come clean about the congestion tax?” Gottheimer said at a press conference in Fort Lee. “Why won’t they tell us exactly how much revenue they’re going to make every year on the backs of hardworking families and commuters?”
The congressman claimed the MTA was keeping a tight-lid on the toll’s projected revenue because it would likely rake in much more than the $1 billion estimate.
“Will it raise $1 billion as it’s legally required, or more?” Gottheimer said. “They refuse to come clean. For me, that’s a massive red flag.”
The congressman said that after repeated — yet unsuccessful — calls for “transparency” from the MTA, he filed a request under the Freedom of Information Law to get the agency to turn over any data, calculations and emails that went into calculating the revenue projections.
“We deserve to know if they’re going to start whacking our families with the congestion tax, charging us thousands of dollars a year. We deserve to have all the facts. But everything at the MTA, as you have probably figured out, is a black box,” he said.
Under the controversial plan that aims to curb peak-day congestion, the MTA would hit drivers with a $15 daily toll if they come into Manhattan’s central business district below 60th Street.
Gottheimer, who is among a cohort of Congress members from both New York and New Jersey who are fighting the proposed tax, ripped the toll as “insanely high.”
“I’m talking about real, old school shellacking – up to $22.50 a day for cars, $5,850 a year, depending on whether they’re using EZPass or not,” he said.
“That’s on top of $17-a-day tolls you’re paying for the bridges and tunnels, plus the cost of gas and parking. In a year, that can cost families up to $10,000 just to commute every day into New York City.”
A lawyer for the MTA revealed recently that the toll could start as soon as mid-June after facing years of delays and a slew of lawsuits, including from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, the teachers’ union and 18 New York lawmakers.
Here's everything we know about the NYC congestion pricing plan
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new pricing plan that would charge drivers a minimum of $15 to enter Midtown Manhattan was set to start at the end of June, according to reports.
The MTA argued that the additional toll was aimed at curbing and easing peak-day congestion in Manhattan. The controversial plan would raise about $1 billion per year that would fund major upgrades to subways, commuter railroads and bus systems.
How much would drivers be charged?
- Passenger vehicles: $15
- Motorcycles: $7.50
- Taxis: $1.25 per ride
- Small trucks: $25
- Large trucks: $35
- Uber, Lyft, other ride-shares: $2.50 per ride
Major highways, including the FDR Drive and the West Side Highway, were to be exempt from the toll, but drivers would be charged if they exited onto a street in NYC’s central business district below 60th Street.
The rush-hour rates would be in place from 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays, according to reports. During non-peak hours, the toll would be about $3.75 for a car. On weekends, the full rate would be charged between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Transit officials have said the revenue raised from the tax would be used to fund $15 billion in bonds to pay for major upgrades to the MTA’s subway, commuter railroads and bus systems.
Meanwhile, MTA Chief of External Relations John McCarthy clapped back at Gottheimer’s criticism on Thursday, accusing the congressman of failing to solve the Garden State’s own transit problems.
“While the MTA dramatically increased service while cutting its budget, Gridlock Gottheimer hasn’t lifted a finger to fix his NJ Transit’s service problems and collapsing financial situation. So much for being a ‘problem solver,’” McCarthy said in a statement.
“While the MTA was completing the Second Avenue Subway, Grand Central Madison, East Side Access, ADA upgrades across the subway system and state-of-the-industry signaling on the L and 7 lines, Rep. Gottheimer complains about New York’s progress while failing to get transit done on his own side of the river.”
Additional reporting by Nolan Hicks
