The fight over exemptions will determine the fate of NYC’s congestion pricing

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https://ny.curbed.com/2019/4/8/18299...lan-exemptions

What's there to study? The connection was foreseen and accomidated for over 80 years ago! It's probably the most obvious needed subway extention on planet earth:

MTA to study Utica Ave subway extension, again

saving $$$ on second avenue subway phase two:


https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs...roject-forward

The way things look headed there are going there will be so many rebates and carve outs that I'd be shocked if congestion pricing generates half the anticipated revenue or a fraction of the hoped for congestion relief. We are unable to do even the simplest things because we absolutely must provide drivers with massive advantages at all times which can't be allowed to be reduced and let transit riders get the crumbs as usual. There is a colossal lack of political will.

Reports starting to surface that traffic from NJ will be exempt from congestion pricing. Why do it at all since the governor is going to basically exempt all existing traffic by the time this is done and little revenue will be generated?

What a total fuck up.

^^ from the very beginning they said they would give discounts to NJ tunnels riders commensurate to the amount they currently pay for the tunnels.

I think this is the fair way to go. NJ residents shouldn't have to pay $15 to take the tunnel and then another $12-$14 when they exit the tunnel and into Manhattan


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/n...sultPosition=1

The MTA chair has now said that he doesn't know what agreement the NJ Gov is referring to and basically that there isn't one.

As long as he Hudson crossing charges float on demand I can live with it I guess. The demand charge should not be capped however.

As far as fairness is NJ not going to toll NYC drivers on their highways?

L train gateway?


Bury the Gateway plan: The L train method is the proven way to repair the Hudson tubes

By DAILY NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD
| NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
APR 29, 2019 | 4:05 AM

Amtrak’s $30 billion Gateway boondoggle, centered around repairing the Superstorm Sandy-damaged Hudson tubes by building new ones, died Friday night with the start of the repairs of the L train’s Sandy-damaged East River tubes.

The MTA was planning to close the L tubes for 15 months to rip out and replace the concrete bench walls. Instead, the bench walls will no longer house power and communication cables, those will be affixed to open racks on the sides of the tube, allowing much easier access.

The Gateway gang says that they will look at cable racking, meaning the repairs won’t have to wait a decade for a new tunnel. Not good enough. In February 2018, they submitted an environmental impact statement to the feds for approval. Federal law mandates that all alternatives must be formally evaluated, but although the draft runs 1,787 pages, it never mentions racking, although it does discuss a far-out idea for a new Hudson rail bridge above Manhattan and even a new rail tunnel with bicycle lanes.

The Port Authority, as the sponsor, must withdraw the submission until racking can be rigorously reviewed and made the preferred method. The feds should also reject it for the same reason.


more:
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/...shu-story.html

Four Lessons for 14th Street From Toronto’s Transit-First King Street

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/04/...t-king-street/




https://i2.wp.com/nyc.streetsblog.or...pg?w=800&ssl=1

It doesn't work that way. Congestion pricing can't raise billions and rid the city of cars at the same time. No more than cigarette taxes can fund healthcare while also ending smoking.
Behavior will quickly fall to one side or the other. Either the city will be full of the cars of the wealthy who continue to drive because they can. The wealthy will probably drive more as their trip times improve. Everyone else is priced out and you get inequality protests.
Or everyone abandons their cars and there's no new revenue.

The purpose of congestion pricing isn't to rid the city of cars, it's to rid the city of congestion. There will still be a huge number of vehicles, including cars, moving freely and efficiently through the city.

In other words, limit the number of cars based on the amount that people are willing to pay (determined by the laws of supply and demand) rather than limit the number of cars based on the amount of congestion people are willing to tolerate which is what currently happens in most major cities. In most cities there is a huge amount of latent demand for road space at peak times so it's impractical to expand the road network enough to keep it moving smoothly and as a result everyone using the road (including businesses and people of all income levels) is having their time and money wasted by congestion. In other words, there is already a congestion price because congestion is very expensive. The difference is that congestion pricing is a way to limit road use in a managed way by routing that cost into something productive rather than having it wasted in terms of productive time and fuel being basically evaporated.

:previous:


Well said. And I don't want to hear about ANY exceptions except for emergency/disability services. I know the cops are already whining but that needs to be shut down immediately

2nd span u/c. Kosciuszko Bridge replacement.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8070135e_k.jpg
Governor Cuomo Announces Second Span of New Kosciuszko Bridge to Open in September 2019 - Four Years Ahead of Schedule and On Budget by governorandrewcuomo, on Flickr

customers can start to use omny, the new mta tap card system, at a handful of stations starting the end of this month.

omny will eventually replace the metrocard:




TRANSIT

How to use OMNY, the MetroCard replacement coming to some subway lines, buses
The MTA's new tap-to-pay system will launch on May 31 at 16 subway stations and on Staten Island buses.

By Lauren Cook

Updated May 10, 2019 8:23 AM


https://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/..._768/image.jpg



Spring is a time for new beginnings, and for the MTA that means rolling out a new way to enter the subway.

On May 31, the MTA will launch OMNY, its new tap-to-pay system that will eventually replace the swipe, swipe, swipe of the MetroCard.

In an attempt to control the chaos likely to occur if the MetroCard was tossed out overnight, the MTA is rolling out the new system in phases, starting with 16 subway stations on the 4, 5 and 6 lines in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The new technology will also be available on Staten Island buses at the same time.



more:
https://www.amny.com/transit/how-doe...ork-1.30857529

some good news --- as advertized, the ato/cbtc system upgrades are improving service on the L and 7 trains:


TRANSIT

MTA completes 7 line's Automatic Train Operation upgrade in Queens

The 7 in Queens is the second line to be upgraded with ATO, after the L train. All other lines rely on operators to control a train's acceleration, cruising speed and braking.


more:
https://www.amny.com/transit/subway-...ain-1.30860424

Is any tangible progress being made on Fast Forward ?

From what I've read, yes. On time statistics have improved due to repairs (especially signaling), removal of old speed restrictions, and elimination/updates to signal timers. The cutover to CBTC on the 7 has dramatically improved on time performance even though there are some teething issues with automatic operation. They still have a long way to go and rush period dispatching appears to be a continuing problem.

Thanks for the update! Also, are the new cars still on pace ?

https://www.amny.com/transit/new-subway-cars-1.26287915

As far as I know however given how these procurements go I would expect a delay of some sort once they start getting them and testing. I think there were fewer problems with the Kawasaki cars (where the next order is coming from) than the problematic Bombardier R179s so hopefully it's mostly on schedule.