A pair of New Jersey pols promised to continue their opposition to New York’s congestion pricing plan, following last week’s decision by federal regulators to green light the tolling scheme.
“We plan to fight — we plan to fight hard,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) said at a press conference on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel Tuesday. “That’s what we do in Jersey when someone’s trying to stick it to us.”
Gottheimer, a vocal opponent of the plan that would see all vehicles entering lower Manhattan tolled in an effort to reduce car traffic and fund the MTA’s capital budget, was joined by Rep Rob Menendez (D-NJ) who represents Jersey City.
“Look, this is today — without congestion pricing,” Menendez said, gesturing at a four-block long line of cars waiting to enter the tunnel. “If people want to go down to Exchange Place or Newport to take the PATH, this traffic will go through our neighborhoods.”
The lawmakers said that by discouraging drivers from entering Manhattan, congestion pricing would negatively impact the revenue of the Port Authority, which controls the bridges and tunnels between New York and New Jersey.
The expected reduction in traffic at Port Authority crossings would cost the bi-state agency $1.25 billion over the next decade, Gottheimer said. The congestion pricing plan is expected to finance some $15 billion in capital funding for the MTA.
“It’s a revenue shift from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to the MTA — there’s no way around it,” Menendez said, adding that the lost money could keep the Port Authority from replacing its bus terminal.
“If the MTA is serious, and this is not a revenue shift to fund their projects … expand the 7 line to Seacaucus Junction station here in New Jersey,” Menendez added. “If they are serious about getting cars off the road, they would spend every single dollar from this project on the expansion of the 7 line.”
Citing the MTA’s plan to set some…
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