NEW YORK, NY April 20, 2007 —Opponents and supporters of congestion pricing are getting ready to rumble, now that Mayor Bloomberg has all but acknowledged he will propose charging drivers who enter midtown Manhattan. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

The proposal is expected to be announced on Sunday, when the mayor lays out his long term vision for making the city more sustainable. On his weekly WABC radio show, Mayor Bloomberg acknowledged congestion pricing would be a difficult political lift. But he said the city needs to do something about traffic and pollution. He also said cars that take the FDR drive and West Side Highway wouldn't be charged, nor would taxis.

Transit advocates and environmental groups support the plan, saying it would raise money for mass transit while reducing congestion. They also say polls show the public is mixed. But a coalition of groups including restaurant and theater owners, outer borough businesses and Manhattan parking garages are fiercely opposed, calling it an extra tax. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.