Latest news with #CongestionPricing
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Drivers face $76 fines as new 'automatic ticket' law takes effect
City officials are increasingly using technology to cash in on motorists who break the rules. Starting Wednesday, drivers in Philadelphia will be monitored by cameras mounted to almost 200 pubic buses driving around the city. The cameras scan streets for vehicles illegally parked in bus stops and no-parking zones. If one is spotted, the system snaps a photo and sends it to law enforcement, where an officer decides whether to issue the city's $76 parking fine. Philadelphia joins cities like New York and Los Angeles in using automated camera enforcement. While the technology is widespread in Europe — especially in the UK, where speed cameras blanket major roads — it's still relatively rare in the US. 'Gone are the days we're gonna tolerate people going through here with an attitude that, "I'll take my chances because I'll never get caught,"' said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. 'You will get caught.' Philadelphia Parking Authority executive director Rich Lazer said the initiative is a collaboration among three city agencies, aimed at improving safety and easing traffic. He added that the cameras will help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. Officials praised the tech, saying it will aid a police agency that has reported record low staffing and record high department vacancies. They're also saying it will free up areas in bus stops where wheelchair users board, plus also speed up first responder times. 'It is another innovative step forward to keep Philadelphians safe and traffic moving smoothly,' Jim Kenney, the city's mayor, said. 'Thanks to these cameras, we are increasing efficiency in our streets to make our city even more accessible.' The city says 152 SEPTA buses and 38 trolleys will get the ticketing tech. On April 15, the city started sending warning tickets to drivers caught by the buses. They will replace the warnings with full-blown tickets starting May 7. The $76 fines are for drivers caught near the Center City, while car owners illegally parked in other neighborhoods will face $51 fines. New York City's MTA launched the automated camera enforcement (ACE) program that also mounted cameras onto hundreds of buses that monitor parking infractions. The city will send tickets up to $76 to car owners starting May 7 Los Angeles also popped the cameras onto public buses last year. Officials announced the tech generated $1.6 million in payments from around 10,000 citations. But as rule enforcement agencies are turning toward more technology to aid their enforcement, drivers are responding with other illegal tricks. New York officials launched a crackdown on drivers removing their license plates from the back of their vehicles. Without the plates, New York's buses — and its controversial Congestion Pricing tolls in Manhattan — are not able to assign fees to car owners.
Epoch Times
21-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Transportation Secretary Threatens to Cut Funds Over New York City Congestion Tolls
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has directed New York In an April 21 letter, Duffy accused the state of defying federal law by continuing to toll federally funded highways after the Trump administration rescinded the program's approval. 'I write to warn you that the State of New York risks serious consequences if it continues to fail to comply with Federal law, and to direct New York to show cause why the Federal Highway Administration ('FHWA') should not impose appropriate measures to ensure compliance,' Duffy wrote in the The Central Business District Tolling Program, or Congestion Pricing, was authorized under a federal Value Pricing Pilot Program agreement signed in 2024 under the Biden administration. Duffy The state, however, continued to operate the tolls. As of April 20, 'New York has not responded to FHWA's requests for information,' Duffy wrote, noting that state officials 'have also publicly declared that New York will continue to collect tolls in open defiance of Federal law.' Duffy's letter directs the New York State Department of Transportation to 'show cause' by May 21 as to why the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) should not impose compliance measures. These would begin as soon as May 28 and would initially include halting federal construction authorizations in Manhattan, with broader restrictions possible. Related Stories 3/21/2025 2/19/2025 If the toll continues, Duffy said, FHWA may suspend funding for projects throughout New York City, including blocking obligations of both formula and competitive funds. Safety-related projects would be exempt. Duffy also criticized the tolling plan itself, saying it imposes a 'disproportionate financial hardship on low and medium-income hardworking American drivers' while benefiting high-income commuters and the transit system. He emphasized that there are no toll-free alternatives into the zone, which he said forces drivers either to pay or to use what he described as a 'substandard transit system run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority [MTA].' The program, which began Jan. 5, aims to reduce congestion and generate $500 million annually for transit improvements. The MTA has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Transportation Department's termination of the tolling agreement. As of Sunday, the $9 congestion charge on most vehicles entering below 60th Street in Manhattan remained in effect. 'The cameras are staying on,' said Avi Small, a spokesperson for Gov. Hochul. According to Duffy, the tolls primarily fund MTA capital projects, not highway maintenance, and thus run counter to the purpose of the federal pilot program. He noted that under federal rules, toll revenues should be used on the tolled infrastructure itself, or reinvested in highways, not redirected primarily to mass transit. 'New York therefore is not legally permitted to collect tolls on roads within the [congestion] zone that were constructed using Federal-aid highway funds,' Duffy said. Duffy also rejected arguments raised in court that the federal government could not terminate the program unilaterally. He said New York's claim that it must be allowed to continue it indefinitely 'simply cannot be,' and emphasized that the termination process complies with regulations. If New York fails to respond or the FHWA finds the response insufficient, the department said, it will begin imposing restrictions aimed at bringing the state into compliance with federal highway law.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC takes up arms against White House in fight over congestion pricing: ‘The president is not a king'
The Adams administration has joined the MTA's lawsuit looking to block President Trump from squashing the controversial tolling plan. Both the city and state Departments of Transportation on Friday signed onto the legal case that the MTA filed back in February after the White House made moves to axe the $9 Manhattan tolls. 'Despite the Administration's 'royal' decree, its effort to summarily and unilaterally overturn the solution to the City's congestion enacted by New Yorkers' elected representatives is unlawful and invalid,' a joint complaint states. 'Accordingly, Congestion Pricing remains alive and well, and the MTA and TBTA responded by filing this lawsuit seeking a declaration that the Administration's actions are null and void and for vacatur of the purported 'rescission' and 'termination.'' The Riders Alliance and the Sierra Club have also joined the complaint, as well as filed a separate one against the Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. 'In case there were any doubts, MTA, State and City reaffirmed in a court filing that congestion pricing is here to stay and that the arguments Secretary Duffy made trying to stop it have zero merit,' said John J. McCarthy, the MTA's chief of policy and external relations, told Politico. Mayor Adams, who has grown close with Trump in recent months but remained lukewarm on congestion pricing, has not publicly commented on his administration's involvement in the legal battle. The Adams administration signed on just two weeks after the mayor's historic corruption case was dropped. Critics speculated that Adams was cozying up in hopes of obtaining a presidential pardon before a judge tossed the case. City Hall did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. The MTA and the White House earlier this month reached an agreement that congestion pricing can remain in effect through the fall as a judge weighs the fate of the new program. But the administration later told the court it was still evaluating its options if NYC does not comply and has reached 'no final decision' what, if anything would happen on the April 20 deadline. Trump, however, has pushed for the MTA to stop tolling drivers before May. Congestion pricing was rolled out in January, and was almost immediately targeted by Trump. In a February Truth Social post, Trump declared: 'CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!' 'The President is not a king, and Defendants have no right to demand compliance with the Administration's unlawful directives,' the lawsuit fires back. 'Plaintiffs will continue to operate the Program as required by New York law unless and until Plaintiffs are directed to stop by a court order.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump kills NYC congestion pricing program: report
MTA Transit officials and advocates expressed shock Wednesday over a report that President Trump's Transportation Secretary is killing the NYC congestion pricing program. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — in a letter posted by the New York Post before it was sent to Gov. Hochul — said that he was revoking the federal government's authorization for the program under the so-called the Value Pricing Pilot Program, an authorization that was given by the Biden DOT in December. It was not immediately clear how or when his action would affect the ongoing program which most drivers are paying $9 a day for driving in the congestion zone south of 60th Street in Manhattan. 'The revenues generated under this pilot program are directed toward the transit system as opposed to the highways,' Duffy wrote — expressing the whole point of congestion pricing. 'I do not believe that this is a fair deal.' 'I have concluded that the scope of this pilot project as approved exceeds the authority authorized by congress under the VPPP,' he said. The Value Pricing Pilot Program agreement, signed in the waning days of 2024 by the state, local and federal departments of transportation, was the final sign-off required to authorize congestion pricing. In a statement, the federal DOT argued that Congestion Pricing was not allowed because it did not do enough to curb congestion. 'The toll rate was set primarily to raise revenue for transit, rather than at an amount needed to reduce congestion,' read a statement released by the department. 'By doing so, the pilot runs contrary to the purpose of the VPPP, which is to impose tolls for congestion reduction – not transit revenue generation.' It was not immediately clear what legal authority the Trump administration might have to renege on the December agreement. A Hochul spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect reporting that New York Democrats have decided not to move ahead with the legislation. A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held and potentially delay the filling of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik's deep-red upstate seat once the Republican is confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. The Post reported some of the reasoning stemmed from negotiations between Hochul and the Trump administration as to the longevity of the state-operated MTA's "Congestion Pricing" tolling program in New York City – which the president has opposed. City & State reported state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, declared the bill at least temporarily a non-starter at an afternoon meeting. Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, R-Oswego, also confirmed the bill is "no longer moving forward." Read On The Fox News App "It was a terrible piece of legislation in policy & principle. Thanks to strong pushback from Republican legislators & North Country residents, the bill has been halted," Barclay wrote on X. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, added in a statement to Fox News Digital that while the bill "appears to be defeated for now, we will remain vigilant against any effort to bring it back." The reform bill had been set to come up for a vote Monday. Critics called it a naked attempt to keep Stefanik's North Country congressional district without a representative until November, while Democratic sponsors say it will save local and taxpayer resources. The bill, which would allow Hochul to postpone elections or combine them with upcoming general elections, was marketed by Democrats as a cost-saving measure that helps ensure more voters will cast ballots in specials. However, Ortt said that for all Democrats' claims about President Donald Trump being a threat to democracy, the truth is belied in their own legislation. "It's all about the outcome, not process, democracy, voter participation – they could give a s---. They could give a s---," Ortt said. Tough Decisions For Sanctuary Cities After Bondi's Fund-withholding Order "I can't shame them; they have none… 800,000 folks [in Stefanik's soon-to-be-former district] will not have a representative in Congress 'til November. That's a disgrace for a party that says it cares about democracy," he said, predicting Hochul will use the law to its maximum extent when enacted. Ortt said the bill has two different provisions – one for federal elections and one for state legislative elections and ruminated how they could benefit Democrats. He pointed out that state Sen. Simcha Felder, D-Brooklyn, is likely to seek an open seat on New York City Council in the politically-moderate, majority-Jewish Borough Park area. Felder caucused with Senate Republicans from 2013-18, which gave the GOP a slim, technical majority in Albany for part of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's term. Ortt said Democrats stand to potentially lose Felder's Senate seat, which explains the reported two-tiered changes in the bill. Meanwhile, Barclay said 44% of New York state voted for Trump and the legislation shows his opposition is still smarting about it. Gop Rips Hochul's Inflation Refunds "No, they don't accept that result," said Barclay. "So they're going to do everything they can, including depriving 800,000 people of a say in the budget [or] the SALT (tax deduction for high-taxed states) bill." Barclay noted that if Stefanik's seat remains vacant when the Farm Bill is voted on later this year, a significant portion of New York's agricultural lands will lack representation. But Democrats remained united, with Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins saying in a statement that New Yorkers currently face "unprecedented challenges, including the strain on our democracy and our high cost of living." "[T]his legislation is a common-sense approach that saves taxpayer dollars while maximizing voter turnout," said Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. Currently, Hochul has 90 days to call a special election once Stefanik, or Felder, resigns. The bill's text suggested the current special elections' framework in Albany is an operational and financial drag on counties and taxpayers – additionally citing "voter confusion and fatigue." Therefore, giving the governor the power to potentially consolidate elections is pertinent. As NY1 reported, the bill also does not mandate Hochul – or any governor – to combine special and general or primary elections, but now gives her the power to do so. Some in Stefanik's district, however, believe Ortt's claims may have substance. "By holding up a special election, they're keeping the North Country from having congressional representation at a critical moment," state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, told Plattsburgh's NBC affiliate. Stec is one of several Republicans vying for the seat, along with Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino, Assemblyman Chris Tague of Schoharie, and author Liz Joy, who previously ran against Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko in the neighboring Capital Region district. Tague told Fox News Digital that Hochul's political career began via a special election using the same laws Democrats are seeking to change. "She's tossing them aside to cut backroom deals … leaving the people of Upstate and the North Country without a voice," Tague said. A spokesman for Stewart-Cousins told NY1 that state Democrats will not "be lectured to by a party that openly celebrated the release of violent felons that attempted to overthrow a presidential election and have opposed every single voting reform that increases voter participation."Original article source: NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
