Hochul Supports NYC Congestion Pricing '100%' As Critics Decry Delays

New York City NY

17 June, 2022

11:41 AM

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NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Kathy Hochul renewed her support for Manhattan congestion pricing after a comment widely seen as throwing up a roadblock to the long-delayed plan. "I support congestion pricing 100 percent," she said Thursday during a Democratic gubernatorial primary debate. "I'm not sure where the allegation came that I don't." The allegation came from another debate last week in which Hochul said the plan to toll cars entering Manhattan south of 60th Street won't happen this year under "any circumstance." Critics, including Hochul's primary opponent Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, saw her statement as less-than-supportive of congestion pricing. Some openly worried she was dragging her feet on a potentially controversial issue during an election year, as detailed in a report from THE CITY. But Hochul has pinned any delay on the federal Department of Transportation, which she said put bureaucratic "hurdles" up that are slowing the plan. "In fact, I had a meeting today about how we can shave more time off the implementation of this," she said during Thursday's debate. "And we talked to the White House because they've given us some hurdles I mentioned the last time I spoke, and they're now saying, 'OK, we understand the sense of urgency.' So, they're working in partnership." Congestion pricing has had a bumpy road since the plan to reduce traffic in Manhattan and boost MTA funding by $15 billion was unveiled in 2019. Former president Donald Trump's administration bogged down the plan so much that officials estimated it wouldn't happen until 2023. The election of President Joe Biden cleared that roadblock, and since then the federal government has been soliciting public input, which itself is a lengthy process. A recent Siena College poll found that 49 percent of motorists surveyed said they'd drive into Manhattan less once congestion pricing is enacted, NY1 reported.