It’s down to the wire to secure federal funds for Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan. Follow along as the Brian Lehrer Show covers the negotiations and the politicking, while diving down into the underlying issues.
Brian is correct that the "Devil is in the Details" - however, the details are not in the legislation -- they are in the traffic studies. The traffic studies have not been released. Statements like “overall traffic improves” is not informative without the data for locations at high risk for gridlock, such as the FDR and West Side Highway where southbound traffic is likely to try to exit at points already so overloaded with traffic that several traffic police are already employed during rush hours. Traffic studies should also project additional weekend and evening traffic generated by those attempting to avoid fees. WE NEED TO SEE THE TRAFFIC STUDIES – and have them evaluated by independent traffic engineers. Congestion pricing is about TRAFFIC – not equity, freedom, or other lofty principles. We need to understand the traffic implications first – then go on to other issues.
James J. Warfield, JD, PhD Columbia University Director, EPIC - Environmental Protection through Incentives and Commerce
C.O.O., Center for Environment, Economy, and Society
212-854-8184 (this phone out of service April 1 -- we are moving) 917-881-8451
New York is a trip! We talk about traffic problems and the different ways to solve them, and then they close the entire upper level of the 59th street bridge yesterday for a film shoot. Radio would never do that!
btw. i've lived in london for 2 years and came back to nyc about a year ago... as much as we hear these fees have been a great success, that is not considered to be the case over there.
What does a lockbox even mean. Even if they guaranteed the entire amount goes to transit, given the current circumstances nothing stops the gov't from reducing their regular funding since congestion fees are in place. Basically, moving the entire cost into a new tax.
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more.
Learn more. Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm
your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the
right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the
Comment Guidelines before
posting.
By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's
Privacy Policy and
Terms Of Use.
Sponsored
About The Brian Lehrer Show
It's your neighborhood, your city, your country, your world, and now your website. Brian Lehrer delves into the issues and links them to real life.
Comments [6]
Brian is correct that the "Devil is in the Details" - however, the details are not in the legislation -- they are in the traffic studies. The traffic studies have not been released. Statements like “overall traffic improves” is not informative without the data for locations at high risk for gridlock, such as the FDR and West Side Highway where southbound traffic is likely to try to exit at points already so overloaded with traffic that several traffic police are already employed during rush hours. Traffic studies should also project additional weekend and evening traffic generated by those attempting to avoid fees. WE NEED TO SEE THE TRAFFIC STUDIES – and have them evaluated by independent traffic engineers. Congestion pricing is about TRAFFIC – not equity, freedom, or other lofty principles. We need to understand the traffic implications first – then go on to other issues.
James J. Warfield, JD, PhD
Columbia University
Director, EPIC - Environmental Protection through Incentives and Commerce
C.O.O., Center for Environment, Economy, and Society
212-854-8184 (this phone out of service April 1 -- we are moving)
917-881-8451
New York is a trip! We talk about traffic problems and the different ways to solve them, and then they close the entire upper level of the 59th street bridge yesterday for a film shoot. Radio would never do that!
Why don't we make this fund open so the public can monitor the money generated?
btw. i've lived in london for 2 years and came back to nyc about a year ago... as much as we hear these fees have been a great success, that is not considered to be the case over there.
What does a lockbox even mean. Even if they guaranteed the entire amount goes to transit, given the current circumstances nothing stops the gov't from reducing their regular funding since congestion fees are in place. Basically, moving the entire cost into a new tax.
i was just in london and took buses everywhere i went. you know what? they moved!
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.