New York School Bus Contractors Association



Agency Activities Board Members Calendar Contact Us Directory Home Industry News Legislation Links Membership Security		NYC plan for congestion tolls wins DOT grant (08/14/2007) Katherine Boyle, E & E News PM reporter The federal Transportation Department announced a $354 million grant today to New York City for implementing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to charge tolls for drivers entering or leaving the most congested parts of Manhattan. New York was one of five metropolitan areas given funds through DOT's Urban Partnership program. But the department stipulated that the New York Legislature must approve the controversial pricing plan by March 2008 to receive the full funding. State lawmakers failed to agree to Bloomberg's proposal earlier this summer. Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan would charge $8 tolls for cars and $21 for trucks to travel below 86th Street. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters lauded Bloomberg's proposal at a news conference today, calling it "as brass and bold as New York City." DOT's $354 million grant falls short of the $536 million Bloomberg requested, but is well over the $200 million the Legislature said would be necessary to proceed with the plan. The money would be spent on building new bus facilities, improving traffic signals, installing toll lanes, boosting ferry service and conducting traffic research. "We'll work with the State Legislature and City Council to seize this golden opportunity to use Federal funds to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and keep traffic tie-ups from choking out economy," Bloomberg (I) said in a statement. But state and city lawmakers representing boroughs outside Manhattan have objected to the plan, which they say would unfairly affect their commuting constituents. Bloomberg, Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) and top legislators crafted a temporary compromise last month by creating a 17-member commission to evaluate several traffic-reduction measures and come up with recommendations for the city by March 2008. DOT insists on congestion tolls - But DOT said it would not accept a plan that does not use congestion pricing. "New Yorkers must understand that we must stop relying on yesterday's ideas to fight today's traffic jams," Peters said. New York is one of five cities in line to receive a total of $1.2 billion in Urban Partnership grants, Peters said. Seattle, received $138 million to implement its plan to charge tolls to drivers crossing the new State Highway 520 floating bridge over Lake Washington. Peters declined to name the other three cities that would get funding. Other Urban Partnership finalists: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco and the Twin Cities. NYSBCA note: The New York School Bus Contractors Association is working with its Lobbyist to make sure that school buses are excluded from this new toll increase.
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