Despite pleas from mass transit advocates to circumvent the governor, the MTA board voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to accept the congestion pricing “pause” that Kathy Hochul had ordered three weeks ago.
The 11-1 vote means that the tolling program is on hold indefinitely. It had been set to take effect Sunday.
The chairman of the MTA, Janno Lieber, insists the pause is temporary.
“When that financial resolution arrives,” said Lieber, “God willing, we will be ready to put Humpty Dumpty back again.”
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The MTA has already committed more than $600 million on 108 license plate readers scattered around Manhattan and was set to charge $15 to most vehicles that travel south of 61st Street in the city’s most congested borough.
On June 5, Hochul suspended the program — citing the city’s sluggish economic recovery and the slower-than-expected post-pandemic return to offices. But many transit analysts suspect politics played a role — with congressional candidates in swing suburban districts voicing opposition to the polls.
Supporters have said congestion pricing would improve air quality and generate $15B for MTA capital projects.
Now, many of those projects, like the next phase of the second Avenue subway, are officially on hold.
Before Wednesday's vote, 140 public speakers had signed up to comment at the meeting. Most of them were venting opposition to the governor’s pause even though statewide polls show most residents opposed congestion pricing.
