Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA)’s Post

#MobilityMonday: Angering many and impeding public transit funding, NYC congestion pricing scheme axed at the last minute Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote about NYC getting federal approval for the congestion pricing plan (see https://bit.ly/3Xi9xqu). Eleven months later, New York State Executive Chamber Governor Kathy Hochul unexpectedly announced the indefinite suspension of the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), which was planned to go into on June 30. Suddenly, the title of the first American city to implement congestion pricing remains up for grabs. Proponents of the CRZ hailed its potential for tackling air pollution and carbon emissions, relieving traffic, and providing a significant revenue stream for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city’s undercapitalized and beleaguered public transit system. The MTA had already earmarked $15B from expected CRZ funds and now has left dozens of rail and bus projects across all five boroughs without any financial backing (see https://lnkd.in/dmZaUvmh). With over 700k vehicles entering the Manhattan Central Business District each day, the economic ramifications of the CRZ — and, now, the lack thereof — are massive (see https://lnkd.in/dNf5v5dp). Despite championing the scheme herself, Hochul now argues that the plan would harm the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery and unfairly burden low-income residents. However, critics have argued that the decision was political in nature: “an election year ploy to help Democrats in suburban districts where congestion pricing is notably unpopular” (see https://bit.ly/45fSN5h). At a time when Hochul is polling at her lowest favorability rating since taking office in 2021, it’s hard not to wonder the extent to which this decision was politically motivated. Admittedly, the same polling indicates that a majority of NYC-area residents oppose the CRZ (see https://bit.ly/4b4ygC4). Though Hochul isn’t up for election until 2026, national politics is still top-of-mind, as no less than 7 NY seats in the 2024 House elections are considered “competitive races” (see https://bit.ly/3KyCs25). Now, the city’s underfunded public transit woes are set to continue. One analysis by the Regional Plan Association notes that 56% of outer-borough NYC residents rely on public transportation to get into Manhattan for work — 14x more than the 4% who drive. Despite Hochul’s assertions, only 2% of those classified as working poor would potentially pay the congestion charge (see https://bit.ly/4aR9u8l). All this symbolizes a more troubling trend: how net-positive mobility schemes are being hijacked for political purposes. The EV transition, micromobility incentives, curb space reallocation, and yes, congestion pricing, will each produce winners and losers in the market. But in the end, most would agree that the long-term environmental, societal, and economic benefits are worth it. #congestionpricing #NYC #NewYork #Hochul #MTA #publictransit

I spoke with Congressman Hank Johnson, of Georgia, about his bill to support public transit operations with $20 billion over four years. Most federal funding for transit goes to capital projects like building new rail lines or buying buses, but running those trains and buses consumes 70% of transit agency costs -- and agencies are struggling to close the gap between operating expenses and revenues. Read more in my story today Smart Cities Dive. #transit #publictransportation

Charlotte’s $13.5 billion transportation plan has a new “roads first” label associated with it, as city officials try to win over Republican lawmakers in Raleigh for support of a transit tax. WFAE’s Steve Harrison details why there’s a new marketing strategy and how difficult a “roads first” approach would be to pull off, given the issues Charlotte faces with some of its biggest and busiest roads. And after pouring over 85 pages of public documents, he shares what city planners have in mind for some key intersections around the city, as well as what changes are planned for new sidewalks, greenways, rail lines and more.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ePx4dXti #thecharlotteledger #transittime #cltledger 

This sudden change in direction is not only a disaster for the MTA Capital Plan and thousands of jobs but more so for the quality of life in Manhattan. It would have yielded better transit, reduced traffic, better air quality, and more space turned over to pedestrians rather than vehicles. Any sensible approach to implementing a plan would have avoided much of the opposition by providing credit for tolls paid crossing the Hudson and the Battery Tunnel. It would have provided exemptions for those responsible for public safety, emergency services, and education. It would have considered the implications of drivers parking north of 60th Street and provided the means to deal with it. It is my hope that compromises can be reached, the issues that initiated the legitimate opposition resolved and that New York can move ahead with this plan. All New Yorkers should advocate for a fresh look and for a satisfactory solution. #new york #transit #urban planning

As Smart Cities Dive continues to report on New York's sudden change of heart on congestion pricing, we learn more about what went into Gov. Hochul's surprise announcement last week. As I wrote in my latest story, shockwaves from her decision are still reverberating throughout the tri-state region. My reporting on this will continue over the coming weeks, with the MTA board of directors needing to go along with the governor's action. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. #congestionpricing #nyc #publictransit

BREAKING: NY Gov Pauses MTA Congestion Pricing Plan "Indefinitely" New York City's congestion pricing plan has been "indefinitely paused" by Governor Kathy Hochul. The tolling plan, which would have charged most drivers up to $15 per trip into Manhattan, was slated to go into effect on June 30th. The announcement was made well after gantries were installed along toll routes in Manhattan, and during a full public relations and media blitz that was being launched by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to communicate the specifics of the plan to metro residents. Reports have found that the MTA spent $507 million designing and implementing the congestion pricing system. In anticipation of the new tolling program, mass transit systems across the region were expecting a windfall of revenue in the coming years that would've funded system-wide upkeep and improvements. "Circumstances have changed. And we must respond to the facts on the ground, not to the rhetoric from five years ago," the Governor said in her statement announcing the plan's cancellation. "After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion pricing system had risked too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers at this time," Hochul continued. "For that reason, I have directed the MTA to indefinitely pause the program." You can read more, and watch the governor's entire statement, here: https://lnkd.in/ejYMVsi3 (Photo Source: AP) #policy #transportation #congestionpricing

From Maria Saporta writing in SaportaReport: "In many ways, Barnes was the last Georgia governor who also served as the de facto 'Metro Mayor.' He understood that Georgia’s economic vitality depends on the state investing in the Atlanta region’s infrastructure, including transit. “'It’s frightening,' Barnes said of the state’s reluctance to invest in transit. 'By not having a regional transportation plan that includes rail transit, we were not going to be able to sustain growth in the way we would like.'" ***** I agree with Roy. Our state and region are already suffering from our failure to invest in local and regional #transit. We suffer from the #airquality of our clogged roadways, we lose untold hours of productivity sitting in #traffic, we exacerbate the #housingcrisis by placing too much burden on communities to accommodate jobs and housing all in the same footprint, and we spend far too much money on roads and interchanges that will never be able to handle traffic volumes, no matter how much we spend on them. The I-20/I-285 interchange project on the east side of the Atlanta Perimeter is on the books for $692M and will take until 2027 to complete. Traffic on both interstates was already bad and is now completely snarled by the construction work. And we know from past experience (see Spaghetti Junction at I-85 and the GA-400 interchange in Sandy Springs) that no amount of roadway expansion will ever alleviate the logjams. We have to start rethinking how we move people into and out of downtown, as well as on to other cities in the region, like Macon, Savannah, Birmingham, Chattanooga, and Greenville. Sadly, Georgia seems to lack the vision, leadership, and political willpower to get beyond our 20th century mentality. Still, lets hope someone provides that spark before the Georgia General Assembly takes us even further back into the past.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is facing a significant funding shortfall with its newly proposed $65 billion plan to upgrade New York City's subway and bus system. What strategies can it implement to secure sustainable funding while ensuring that essential transit projects are not sacrificed due to financial constraints? The MTA anticipated that congestion pricing could generate $15 billion, but that program was recently suspended. Without adequate funding, the authority may need to make “sweeping cuts” to its current capital plan at a time when it needs to upgrade its aging infrastructure, enhancing accessibility for riders with disabilities, and prepare for the effects of climate change. At some point, the MTA may need to find compelling arguments to support its value. What does a state-of-the-art sustainable transportation system mean for a city such as New York? In a previous post we touched on the unique value that New York provides in terms of finance, education, culture, and medical services, among other assets. Accessing that ecosystem - and moving around easily within it - is indeed valuable. #MTA #NYC #NewYork #CongestionPricing #Transportation #Subway #Pricing https://lnkd.in/gvyuUbS6

According to a recent analysis by the state's comptroller, New York City's public transportation system will require an estimated $43 billion for capital repairs during the next five years. The city's subway system, which is over 100 years old, needs upgrades for most of its signals to reduce train delays. More than 6,500 subway cars are currently in operation, with 39% being over 30 years old. As a native New Yorker, I understand how important our extensive transit system is not only to the business community or the real estate industry but also to working-class New Yorkers who commute throughout the city to work. It is crucial to upgrade the signals to prevent train delays and ensure that people can get to work on time.

"Historically, accountability measures have been focused on efficiency rather than effectiveness. In today’s world, effectiveness requires a clear vision that more than public transit buys into." Great article from TRI DELTA TRANSIT General Manager Rashidi Barnes on how we should be thinking about 'accountability' for public transit - requiring a more regional, cross-sectoral approach that involves not only transit agencies, but cities, counties, and regional planning authorities. https://lnkd.in/ghMS5SEU