Credit Bob Brown 77 WABC Radio
(New York, NY) — The full MTA board gave the green light to it’s congestion pricing plan in Manhattan. Board members voted yes at their meeting Wednesday to tolling drivers 15 dollars to enter south of 60th Street. The latest tweak to the plan includes exemptions to yellow school buses, most commuter buses and certain specialized government vehicles. The MTA plans to start the tolls in mid June but a number of lawsuits trying to stop congestion pricing may delay that start time frame.
Top New Jersey officials say they’ll continue their fight against congestion pricing despite the MTA’s approval of the plan on Wednesday. Governor Phil Murphy is calling it a blatant cash grab that discriminates against New Jersey drivers. He’s suing and isn’t backing down, despite the fact that the MTA’s 110 toll readers are in place for a mid-June start. And Congressman Josh Gottheimer says, “Buckle up for the lawsuits and the public outrage, because no one messes with Jersey.”
