Commuters react with congestion pricing set to start as early as next year, bringing MTA $1 billion annually
NEW YORK -- After an extremely slow start and years of delays, the congestion pricing plan for Manhattan is now in the fast lane.
The goal is to raise $1 billion a year for New York City's broken mass transit system.
The plan seemed to be stuck in limbo just a few weeks ago, but all of that changed in a New York minute.
Like out of a Robin Hood storyline, many New York drivers say the MTA is taking from them to give to the cash-strapped transit system.
"Causing more to the commute. It's too bad, shouldn't do it," one driver told CBS2's John Dias.
"It's going to make life a lot more expensive," Upper East Side resident Cheryl Drum said.
Recently the MTA worked to satisfy environmental concerns posed by the federal government, and got the "go" to what could be the country's first large-scale congestion pricing plan.
It aims to toll drivers who head south of 60th Street, known as Manhattan's Central Business District. It could start in 2023 or early 2024.
"We all know that the Central Business District is choked," said MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.
Some MTA board members and New Yorkers say instead, the MTA should focus on making public transit safer so riders come back.
"Nobody wants to drive their car around if they can hop on a bus, if it was a clean, safe, fast ride," Upper East Side resident Stefanie Rapoport said.
The agency has already named most of the panel that will determine fees, rate reductions and exemptions. But many working overnight shifts or off-peak hours, with no other option than to drive, think it's unfair.
"There is no congestion when I'm coming into the city," said Bayside resident Phil Diffley.
Dias spoke with the executive vice president of a non-profit conducting research on the project.
"You can actually charge more during busy times of day when traffic is bad and less, or even nothing, during less busy times of day or overnight," Kate Slevin, with the Regional Plan Association, told Dias.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said he believes the congestion pricing plan is an important policy for the future, and while he wants to see variable pricing, it comes with a caveat.
"If we take away the fee structure, giving one group a discount means that the base charge for the general population would have to go up. That's the only way you can meet your revenue charges," he said.
There's another fiscal hurdle for commuters: The MTA's financial plan includes a 4% fare hike next year.