According to a Center for an Urban Future report, over 160 bridges are more than a century old, and as of last year state engineers deemed 47 as prone to failure but they still carry 2.7 million cars each day.
Over a third of subway signals have exceeded their 50-year lifespans, slowing the movement of trains.
Building Support
Move NY formed in 2010 to tackle transportation issues, and in 2012 the organization and former traffic commissioner Sam “Gridlock” Schwartz joined together to unveil a fair tolling plan.
In the past year, Move NY has been meeting with groups all over the city, and the suburbs, to build support for the plan. Congestion pricing is not a new idea in New York, so they started with the groups who opposed previous plans first.
Earlier this year, the tweaked plan gained support from representatives in the outer boroughs, Long Island, the trucking industry, and the American Automobile Association’s New York branch.
Matthiessen said a consistent response has been that survey respondents and groups they talk to really believe the plan can deliver the benefits it promises. By bonding the revenue so that it can only be used for transportation purposes, voters said they thought it would result it better roadway conditions, reduce congestion, and improve subway performance.
Based on the survey results, the final plan will include more express bus service and possibly varying the tolls by time of day, Matthiessen said.
The final draft will be released in January 2015, and the group will lobby for its implementation.
Friends Read Free