Engineering Inc. - September/October 2019 - 16

96
th

FHV Zone:
Area south of 96th St

No Toll
West Side Highway

* FHV charge began Feb. 2019 South of 96th
* $2.75 Uber/Lyft * $2.50 * $0.75 Shared Rides

* Traffic Mobility Act-Passed 4/1/19
* CP all vehicles South of 60th
* Revenue goal = $15B bonds
* 80% Subways & Buses
* 20% Railroads

Congestion Pricing Zone:
CBD area south of 60th St

CONGESTION PRICING

No Toll
FDR Drive

Zone
Pricing
* Fee??
Boundary

* Traffic Mobility Board report due Nov. 2020
(after elections)

* Earliest date Jan. 2021
* Exemptions:
* FDR Drive & Westside Highway thru trips
* Vehicles transporting disabled
* CBD residents income < $60K

but broader and more diverse. For example, we added Uber, the
Real Estate Board of New York and several more unions."
When the measure passed and was signed into law by the
governor, Schwartz took a moment to enjoy the success and went
back to the office because "there was still a lot of work to do."
THE HARD PART

Over the coming year-and-a half, the MTA and a yet-to-beappointed six-member Traffic Mobility Review board will put
the meat on the bones of the congestion pricing system.
There are three stages for implementation, according to
AECOM's Chaudhry. The first stage, which began in February, was adding a $2.50 to $2.75 per ride user charge on forhire vehicles south of 96th Street. The charges are expected to
raise $400 million annually.
"A portion of that revenue will go to fund immediate
improvements in the city's transit deserts," he says. The MTA
will need to add new bus services before congestion pricing
goes into effect, so drivers will have options other than climbing in their cars.
The second stage will be setting up the pricing structure.

"The system needs to
work seamlessly, not
disrupt people's lives.
The success of the
system depends on
people buying into it."
ALI CHAUDHRY
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
AECOM
16

ENGINEERING INC.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019

"They have to determine how the system will work," says
Matthiessen. "What amounts will they charge? What hours?
Will there be peak and off-peak pricing? Just two tiers or
multiple tiers?"
Finally, the installation and construction of the system.
"The linchpin in this program will be technology," Chaudhry
says. "The system needs to work seamlessly, not disrupt
people's lives. The success of the system depends on people
buying into it."
One significant issue popped up before the ink on the
governor's signature was even dry-exemptions. Numerous
groups are lobbying that they should not have to pay the
congestion charge, including Manhattanites, residents of the
outer boroughs, New Jersey residents, truckers, motorcyclists
and cab drivers. The plan currently provides for only three
exemptions, for emergency vehicles, low-income residents
living inside the zone and vehicles carrying people with
disabilities-but the political pressure to grant more will be
intense.
"I am a hard-liner when it comes to exemptions," Schwartz
says. "We have 15 toll crossings in New York City today, and
we have hardly any exemptions at those facilities. I think we
should hold that line."
As the plan comes together, Matthiessen and Schwartz
say the advocates still have a major role to play, keeping the
pressure on officials, making sure the process is transparent and
protecting the key principles of congestion pricing.
"We need this plan to be successful," says Schwartz. "For
New York City to grow, we need a good, strong transit
system, stable funding and relief from the paralyzing traffic.
Congestion pricing is a double-edged sword that pierces both
the revenue needs for transit and solves the traffic problem." ■
Gerry Donohue is ACEC's senior communications writer. He can be
reached at gdonohue@acec.org.

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2019

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