Feb 27, 2008 6:43 pm US/Eastern
MTA Urges Albany To Green Light Congestion Pricing
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The MTA wants Albany lawmakers to give the green light to congestion pricing. They laid out an improvement plan on Wednesday, aimed at making it easier for Long Island, suburban and outer borough commuters to leave their cars at home.
"The congestion pricing piece is going to become a very hot issue in March," said MTA board member Barry Feinstein.
Feinstein has it right. Getting the state legislature to approve a plan to charge motorists $8 to drive into the central business district will be a very hot issue indeed.
"I'm hoping the legislature will say what I say which is this is good for the subway rider, the bus rider, the commuter and we want to make it happen," said Gene Russianoff, a member of the Straphangers campaign.
But to make it easier to swallow, the MTA unveiled a series of new transit initiatives that will make it easier for drivers in Long Island, Westchester, far eastern Queens and southeastern Brooklyn to get out of their cars.
The Long Island Rail Road won't get any new service because officials feel it can already accommodate the increased rider ship.
But there will be 12 new bus routes in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; increased service on 48 bus routes in Staten Island, Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx; 309 new buses; increase of service on the 1, E and F trains; and longer trains on the C line.
Even now people who ride the E and the F trains talk about better service.
"That would be beautiful, I have to tell you, that would sure be excellent," said Patrick Falzon of Queens.
What do riders want?
"More trains, less overcrowding. You don't have to be stuffed up all day," said Felix Vargas of Jackson Heights.
"They have too many delays in running them during the day," said Dorothy Kawas of Maspeth.
And if the legislature doesn't pass congestion pricing?
"I think that the board faced with that kind of a choice would increase fares and tolls," said MTA Executive Director Eliot Sander.
The legislature has to act on congestion pricing by the end of next month. Legislature members have been anxiously waiting for details of the congestion pricing service upgrades. On Wednesday, a spokesman for assembly speaker Sheldon Silver said he still wasn't satisfied.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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