NYC’s congestion pricing plan is still controversial as ever

December 4, 2023 Raanan Geberer

In this Jan. 11 photo, traffic crosses the Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

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A search of social media, and the internet in general, reveals that rank-and-file Brooklynites, Brooklyn officials and Brooklyn activists have a wide variety of opinions on congestion pricing — especially in the wake of the city’s release of many details of its congestion pricing plan last week.

Many of those who oppose congestion pricing most vociferously didn’t give any concrete reason why. They merely made blanket statements, like Danny P, a Facebook user, who said, “F— congestion pricing! My money will remain in Brooklyn!”

On the other hand, environmentalists and advocates of alternative transportation (such as bicycles) felt vindicated. Transportation Alternatives, in a statement made earlier this year, said that even if you’re a New Yorker who relies on driving, “believe it or not, you will spend less time stuck in traffic than ever before.”

The most publicized detail of the city’s new plan is the fact that during peak hours, drivers will have to pay $15 to enter what the Department of Transportation defines as the “Central Business District,” or all of Manhattan below 60th Street.

There will be discounts for taxis, services such as Uber and Lyft and outer borough residents who need to go to the Central Business District frequently for reasons such as visiting people in hospitals. On the other hand, trucks entering the District can pay s much as $36. As in all such plans, there will be a plethora of hearings and votes by various agencies before final approval.

On social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), some Brooklynites expressed fears that congestion pricing would eventually be extended to Brooklyn. “Congestion pricing tax won’t stop with Manhattan. Expect it everywhere soon after,” tweeted “Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods.”

On another occasion, commenting on a TV newscaster saying “it [congestion pricing] will always affect middle class to poor class,” the same Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods said, “You bet your sweet ass it will!”

Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods’ characterization of congestion pricing as a “tax” is telling — there was a widespread sentiment that congestion pricing is just another way to raise money for the city. Also on X, George Sarantopoulos tweeted, “Guarantee once congestion pricing is implement and it doesn’t bring in the money they expected, they will first raise it and then expand it to other areas like Downtown Brooklyn. In the meantime, the MTA will continue to be a money pit with no accountability.”

And “Brooklyn Dame” tweeted, “congestion pricing is the modern tax on tea. We need a Tea Party now more than ever!”

“Bike South Brooklyn” had a counter-argument to these ideas: “Good news, the IRS says you your congestion pricing tolls are an itemized deduction you can claim on Schedule A of your 1040.”

At least one online poster actually welcomed the idea of congestion pricing someday coming to Downtown Brooklyn. IanMacallen wrote, “Can’t wait for congestion pricing to come to other neighborhoods that desperately need a reduction in cars cutting through to get to Manhattan. Downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City should be next.”

Assemblymember Robert Carroll (D-Prospect Heights-Park Slope-Kensington) is firmly in the camp of the pro-congestion pricing supporters. “Having motorists pay $15 to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan and to have Uber passengers pay an additional $2.50 on top of the current $2.75 FHV CP fee is a win for mass transit, safe street and clean air,” he wrote.

So is Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Fast trains. Accessible stations. Electric buses. Clean air. Safe streets. Congestion pricing is about to deliver win after win for the people of this city.”

The aforementioned Bike South Brooklyn, addressing not Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens residents but New Jersey residents (who would also be affected by congestion pricing), used photos to make their point on X. “Here are four simple tricks New Jersey residents can use to avoid paying the congestion pricing toll,” they tweeted, illustrating his remarks with photos of a New Jersey Transit train, an NJT bus, a jitney bus and a PATH train.

Bike South Brooklyn similarly used another photo to needle anti-congestion pricing city dwellers. “Check out this awesome machine that exempts you from congestion pricing!” he wrote, posting a photo of a bicycle.

And if you’re wondering what Bike South Brooklyn hopes the money raised by congestion pricing should be used for, here’s your answer: a bike lane on the Verrazzano Bridge!