Congestion Pricing
Streetsblog Basics
What If Pricing Had a Better Name?
A commentator at the Wall Street Journal blog Buzzwatch posits that congestion pricing would have stood a better chance if it had a better name. After asking branding specialists for a more appealing moniker, here's what rose to the top:
April 16, 2008
Jessica Lappin: Congestion Pricing Advocate
This recent constituent e-mail shows that Council Member Jessica Lappin's lukewarm support for congestion pricing seems to have turned into full-fledged support now that the proposal has no chance of being implemented (taking a page out of Assemblywoman Joan Millman's book). In Lappin's defense, she did vote for pricing when it came before the council. But it might have been helpful had she found her voice a few months -- or even weeks -- before the plan went to Albany.
April 15, 2008
Après Congestion Pricing, It’s Time to Look at the Paris Model
Amsterdam Ave. and 76th St. with street space reallocated to walkers, bikes and buses.
April 15, 2008
Help Wanted: Legislators Needed to Fix Broken Capital
Can't wait for someone to challenge Shelly Silver, Deborah Glick, Hakeem Jeffries, Joan Millman and other members of the Albany crew that didn't allow congestion pricing to even come up for a vote? Neither can the New York Times.
April 14, 2008
Bridge and Tunnel Traffic Drop Tied to Toll Increase
The Times reported Saturday that vehicle traffic on Port Authority bridges and tunnels declined by 2.9% in March, in the wake of toll increases that took effect on March 2. In typical bizarre fashion, the Times' lede asks, “Who needs congestion pricing when plain old toll increases seem to do the job?”
April 14, 2008
De Blasio’s Excuse: There Shoulda Been a Brooklyn Lock Box
Yesterday, a reader sent along City Council Member Bill de Blasio's letter to constituents [PDF] explaining his "Nay" vote on congestion pricing. Plenty of campaign fodder here, should someone who really believes in funding transit, bike, and pedestrian improvements challenge de Blasio in the 2009 race for Brooklyn Borough President. (His known opponent, Charles Barron, also voted no.) A few choice excerpts:
April 11, 2008
Will Pro-Pricing Council Members Suffer for Their Votes?
Should City Council members who voted for congestion pricing fear for their political futures? According to a story in today's Daily News, some do.
April 10, 2008
Silver and Assembly Dems Defend Their “Democratic” Process
In the latest New York Observer, Azi Paybarah talks to state legislators and other insiders about how the congestion pricing non-vote went down on Monday. Conclusion: Assembly Democrats told Speaker Sheldon Silver what to do, not the other way around. And by killing the pricing bill behind closed doors, the thinking goes, the Democratic conference rightfully exerted its power.
April 9, 2008
Gene Russianoff on the MTA’s $17.5 Billion Hole
Gene Russianoff, senior attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, talks to Streetsblog about the future of transit funding without congestion pricing. Direct quotes are in quotation marks.
April 8, 2008