City Council, Question 5

Question 5:
Road pricing, including such measures as non-stop tolling, fees based on vehicle miles travelled or entry into a highly congested zone, has been the source of much discussion in New York City and other major metropolitan areas. London famously uses a congestion charge to fund its transit system, Oregon recently piloted a program to replace the gas tax with a fee for miles driven and Seattle recently studied how road pricing could be introduced on a regional basis. Seattle's study, “Traffic Choices Study" (http://psrc.org/projects/trafficchoices/index.htm), found that introducing new tolls on major corridors during peak traffic hours influenced drivers’ behavior and projected that a region-wide road pricing scheme could significantly reduce vehicular traffic congestion. Do you think that introducing a road pricing strategy would change New Yorkers’ travel choices? Do you think that this would be an effective way for the City to reduce backups on high-traffic roadways like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Gowanus Expressway or the Long Island Expressway? Finally, do you believe there are additional benefits in the surrounding neighborhoods which could be realized from the reduction of vehicular congestion on these routes?
  • City Council Survey (District 51): Janine Materna

    Such ideas cannot be dismissed, but they should be studied extensively before placed into action and definitely not in the middle of one of the harshest recessions this country has ever faced. We must also be mindful of the fact that certain areas of the city, especially Staten Island are already struggling with the overabundance of tolls. We are the only borough when one has to pay to leave, and it puts a serious dent in the wallets of the middleclass. I would only support congestion pricing or any variation if Staten Island received special consideration in its planning so as not to inflict even more fiscal stress on Staten Islanders.

  • City Council Survey (District 6): Gale A. Brewer

    Local Law 23 of 2008, which I sponsored and passed, requires DOT to collect information on various performance indicators, including the usage of key City corridors, bicycle paths, and ferry routes, to provide a snapshot of how the City’s transportation infrastructure is used. On November 1 of each year, DOT is required to submit a report on these performance indicators to the Mayor and the Council. This report will include a summary of DOT’s projects that aim to reduce traffic. The public will also see the reports as they will be posted on the web, and New Yorkers will have the opportunity to add their comments regarding ways to reduce congestion and pollution while encouraging the use of modes of transportation such as ferries, bikes, safer pedestrian walkways, more buses etc. As stated above, I supported congestion pricing, but until it is realized in some form I believe that this data will be a roadmap for reducing congestion in high-traffic neighborhoods.

  • City Council Survey (District 8): Melissa Mark-Viverito

    I was an early supporter of congestion pricing and I believe that it would bring great benefits to our city both in the health of our residents by reducing air pollution and create more funds to improve our mass transit system which would also improve the air quality.

  • City Council Survey (District 9): Inez E. Dickens

    I think a road-pricing strategy would impact New Yorkers' travel choices. Moreover, I think it would have a profound impact on the travel choices of those that live outside the City but work in the City. I would be interested in further examining this policy, especially its impacts on New York City's mass transit system and small businesses citywide. My district experiences profound impacts from car and bus emissions and would benefit from a reduction in traffic. How that reduction is realized, what long-term effects it has and how it is paid for are critical components of the discussion.

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