NJ Gov. Says He'll 'Try Like Heck' to Stop Congestion Pricing

 New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is committed to blocking the current New York City congestion pricing plan even as the federal government gave its final stamp of approval.“We’re going to try like heck” to stop congestion pricing, he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Friday. “I don’t know what the alternative is for the MTA, but I strongly would like to encourage them to pursue other avenues.”

The federal government this week approved a $9 tolling structure for New York City’s plan to charge drivers entering large parts of Manhattan, a key step for the congestion pricing program as it moves toward an anticipated Jan. 5 start date.

The plan is an attempt to reduce traffic congestion and raise money for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city’s subways, buses and commuter rail lines. Murphy, a Democrat, has been a vocal opponent of the initiative, saying it puts an undue burden on New Jersey commuters who drive into New York for work.

The Federal Highway Administration on Thursday signed off on a revised congestion pricing structure that New York Governor Kathy Hochul reduced by 40% to help working families and small businesses absorb the new fee, according to documents posted Friday to the MTA website. The FHWA, the state and New York City also signed a value pricing pilot program agreement for the congestion pricing plan.

New Jersey sued the federal government last year, claiming it hadn’t done an adequate environmental review of the tolling program. Murphy claims the plan would increase congestion and pollution in his state along routes that avoid the Central Business District in Manhattan, for example, in towns by the George Washington Bridge.

His lawyers have urged the judge to rule and said lowering the toll doesn’t resolve the “defects” in the environmental review process.

On Friday, Judge Leo Gordon set an in-person status conference for Tuesday. It’ll be the first time the parties will meet before the judge following the federal government’s approval of the $9 tolling plan.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nj-governor-try-heck-stop-182329701.html