Hey, Public-Minded New Yorker! Take Five Minutes to Support Congestion Pricing

February 23, 2024

Update: Registration is now open to sign up to speak at an upcoming public hearing. See below.
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Reinvent Albany strongly supports congestion pricing because it’s the law, has been shown globally to reduce motor vehicle congestion, air pollution, and travel times, and will raise $15 billion to restore and improve transit. New York City is poised to be the first city in the country to implement congestion pricing – the program just needs to cross the finish line.

Governor Hochul has shown strong leadership in the face of ignorance and negativity, but now needs our support. The MTA is accepting public comment on proposed congestion pricing tolls now until March 11, 2024. 

We’ve had various bridge, tunnel, and highway tolls in the region for decades without the types of exemptions being proposed by opponents. It makes no sense to weaken congestion pricing with special interest giveaways. The more exemptions, the higher the toll will be for everyone else.  

There are two ways that you can show your support for the program with no new exemptions: 

  1. Send written comments here or via email: cbdtp.feedback@mtabt.org. You can also mail your comments to Central Business District Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004, or call the CBDTP comment line at 646-252-7440. You can comment through March 11th. 
  1. Sign up to speak at an upcoming public comment session in person at 2 Broadway, or via Zoom. Registration is now open, and will close 30 minutes following the start of each hearing. Use the links below to register:

    Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 6 p.m.
    Friday, March 1, 2024, at 10 a.m.
    Monday, March 4, 2024, at 10 a.m.
    Monday, March 4, 2024, at 6 p.m.

    You can also call the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777. Telephone agents are available daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

You may sign up for updates from the MTA about the congestion pricing program, and opportunities for public comment. 

See also our reports on the benefits of congestion pricing:

  • MTA workers doing in-house capital work will get $3.2 billion of the $15 billion congestion pricing is required to raise for the MTA’s 2020-2024 capital plan. 
  • Congestion pricing will create tens of thousands of local jobs throughout NYS. From 2014 to 2022, the MTA directly paid $26 billion to its vendors located in communities across New York State, largely from its capital programs, as shown on our interactive webpage.
  • The MTA paid New Jersey companies $3.3 billion from 2014-2022 for goods and services related to capital construction projects and other needs. Overall, NJ ranks second of all states for MTA spending on outside vendors.