Policy Position of the American Planning Association - New York Metropolitan Chapter on Congestion Pricing
Policy Position of the American Planning Association - New York Metropolitan Chapter on Congestion Pricing
The American Planning Association New York Metropolitan Chapter (APA-NYM) strongly supports the implementation of congestion pricing, which was delayed from going into effect on June 30th. This policy is the culmination of over a decade of collaborative efforts by hundreds of planners from various firms and city and state agencies. These planners have invested thousands of hours working closely with elected officials, the public, and other stakeholders within a structured framework set forth by elected officials to refine and develop a viable congestion pricing policy.
Congestion Pricing aims to provide essential resources to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for improving transit, transportation accessibility, and addressing core environmental justice issues, particularly in the Bronx. The APA-NYM continues to endorse this policy, recognizing its development through extensive planning and stakeholder engagement. While acknowledging that no policy or program is perfect, congestion pricing has undergone rigorous environmental review and as the MTA has stated, there is no current alternative to make the necessary improvements to sustain the transportation system.
Planners have done their work. The environmental review has been completed without successful challenges in court. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to install the cameras and infrastructure that stand ready to be active. Absent an alternative, we continue to support a process that proceeds as envisioned.
