Congestion Pricing

On April 22, 2007--Earth Day-- Mayor Bloomberg revealed a plan to help the heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic in lower Manhattan. He called it Congestion Pricing. His plan was to charge an $8 dollar toll to enter lower Manhattan below 60th street between 6a.m. and 6p.m. on Monday through Friday and $4 dollar trips within the zone. The money gained from this would go to improving mass transit. If approved, the city would receive $354 million dollars in federal grants for mass transit improvements. His plan was to reduce the traffic, help the environment, and help mass transit. Everybody that lives outside of this district felt that this plan was unfair. Politicians from Brooklyn, Bronx, Upper Manhattan, New Jersey, and Staten Island felt like they were being targeted. They stood by the governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine and argued different points. New Jersey drivers already pay $8 dollar toll to get into New York. Governor Corzine says that the money from the tolls should be used to set off the congestion pricing plan. The deadline was April 7 for both the city and the state lawmakers to approve the proposal. As the deadline approached the city approves. Now it is left up to the state to make a final decision. The state did not approve so now the congestion pricing plan dies in Albany. Mayor Bloomberg is upset and commuters have very mixed feelings to the demise.


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