Replies to Nick's Comments

Hello, Nick, thank you for sharing your thoughts. You mentioned the toll zone should extend into the FDR and the West Side Hwy (9A). If I understand you correctly, you agree with this part of the proposed bill.

The 60th St. toll border does extend into the FDR and West Side Hwy where 60th St. would cross those routes if 60th St. extended to the east and west edges of the island (see "What the bill does: (i)," in the pane to the left).

With few exceptions, if someone is south of 60th St. in a car, they paid a toll to get there and they'll pay a toll to get out, including if they came in or out on the FDR or the West Side Hwy. How do you feel about the proposed toll collection system (i.e., ez pass or by mail only--no cash)?

Hi Nick, thanks for letting us know how you feel about ensuring the MNYM Fund money is used for transportation only. What do you think of the "agreement of state" part, from paragraph (ii), to the left?

I know plenty of New Yorkers who own cars either in Manhattan or in the boroughs. Perhaps they do not use them to commute to their jobs, but I do know of one man who drives from Battery Park City to Jersey for his job because he has too many problems with public transportation for it to be feasible. Also Nick, I don't know if you actually live in Manhattan, or even New York, but no New Yorker actually calls anything in Manhattan a "Central Business District." There is Midtown or the Financial Districts, and there are plenty of areas inbetween with commercial office space.

As for this increased revenue, how long will these improvements take, exactly? I live on the 7 line, which is being upgraded with the CBTC system. When I first started taking the line, it was incredible, but now the service has degraded since the multiple years of work, with what seems to be no end in sight. And once the system is in place and running, we will be blessed with 2 more trains per hour, which won't offset the current congestion on the line whatsoever, especially with all the new building going on. So Nick, I have very little faith in Move NY helping the MTA to do anything more than barely keep the systems running. In fact, if Governor Cuomo would get off his high horse and appropriate the monies needed for the MTA Capital Plans, we wouldn't be having these issues.

As for international plans for congestion, London was initially successful, but 10 years on, they are facing the same level of traffic as there had been initially. I wouldn't exactly call that a success.

And for those living near the East River crossings, let me tell you, it's a choice. It's a choice for anyone to live where they live. How does a collision affect a person who, as you blithely put it, just walks, bikes or uses the subway to get to work? I live not far from the junction of the BQE and ***, is there some noise? Yes. But I don't try to get legislation passed to divert or stop traffic on these important arteries because me and thousands of other people live by them. Perhaps you should also be advocating for that as well. The number of new buildings that have gone up around the BQE in Williamsburg must affect those citizens as well, yet they choose to live there.

This plan is misguided and overall, won't affect the quality of life in Manhattan but ruin it for all the boroughs with very little payoff. The idea that Move NY will be able to somehow do more than provide money to the current black holes of projects which take years to implement with limited success is not worth it.

Nick, I'm not sure what world you live in, but it isn't New York. BRT? So lanes suddenly free up because everyone is taking buses from places out in Long Island? Somehow there will be more trains added to all the LIRR lines to deal with the current overcrowding, or that magically, trains like the L will no longer be filled to the brim with people?

In the end, people are frustrated with the MTA's lack of better service and Governor Cuomo and Albany pushing the MTA to the brink financially.

georgeberberian, I cannot reply to your response on 0/28/16@7:48pm directly so I will post here.

Plenty of New Yorkers own automobiles but that is no excuse for the current tolling setup, where free bridges encourage toll shopping. Additionally, the externalities of excess automobile usage have been taking a toll on communities surrounding entry points, or even connecting highways. A small price to pay in a city where most people do not own or lease an automobile, yet suffer the ill effects of congestion.

Reverse commuting can be a hassle, but if someone lives in Battery Park City and commutes to Jersey, then they made a choice. It's highly unlikely that an automobile owner living in that area is too impoverished to afford this tolling setup.

CBTC will also improve 7 train service by increasing the number of trains per hour, and allowing the MTA to know where those trains are exactly. That 2 additional trains an hour you mention is the current estimate, but the system will be able to run even more trains in the future. Faster too.

As for London. Keep in mind that in London, congestion pricing was and still is successful. In London, officials decided to reallocate road space to pedestrians, mass transportation and bicyclists after decreases in automotive volume. So while travel times have increased since implementation, this is largely due to less space for people to drive. An increase in travel time was seen as a worthy compromise for faster transit, safety and increased pedestrianized public space. Congestion pricing has proven successful where ever implemented.

Finally collisions cause death, serious injury and monetary loss. They also create increased congestion and reduce economic activity in totality.

Nick it sounds like you don't drive a car in NYC. At one time there was a law that said for any new construction in Manhattan the builder was required to provide enough parking for the residents so they could park off of the street. That seemed to get lost over time.

Yes more turn lanes do help the flow of traffic and there is a need for more mid-block cross walks to avoid back ups at these locations.

Lastly take the Times Square plaza which was never completed as far as I am concerned. They need to provide fencing so that pedestrians who forget they are in the middle of a very busy area don't just step off into traffic looking at their phone or busily eating as they are walking. They definitely need to be funneled on to the cross walks. Plus, they need to add mid-block cross walks and turn lanes. The plaza was put in under the guise of improving traffic flow and it did far from that.

What really is needed is off street parking for all new construction and off street loading docks for deliveries.

The other solution is to require off hour deliveries, but good luck on that.

I'm sorry but it doesn't matter what most New Yorkers do. It matters what 'all' New Yorkers do. Just cause you're a majority group doesn't mean you get to have whatever you want. New York has a decent history of concern for minority populations, what ever type of minority population it may be. I hope it continues that history by thinking about what this bill do to everyone in the City. Even us out here in Queens. People like me who aren't rich, or well educated, who don't have time to care about all of the extras in life that privledged people do. I have time to work, play with my kids, and drive into Manhattan once in a while to show my kids something nice. And your stupid bill wants to take one of those things away from me. Not very nice

Geez, man. I agree with what you say generally, but have to say that your response to RideTheClock is a bit callous and illustrates her point. I'm not sure you helped your position here.

RideTheClock also mentioned kids' safety. And I think also made it clear that its more than just a couple of bucks as far as he/she's concerned. As in already stretched to the limit it sounds like. If you can't understand the immediate need of safety and income over pollution, road expenditures, etc., then I'm sure what to say.

I will say that I do support Move NY generally. But I agree that until we address the effect on less secure populations that have found a way to make it under the current transportation structures, we shouldn't just drink the koolaid and push it through like it's perfect and anyone who doesn't support it is not. It's not perfect and there are some valid arguments against. From where I sit, Move NY is good, but not perfect.

What about populations that may sacrifice the safety of their car? Valid criticism, RideTheClock. And the income effect is valid to.

Is there some way we can work through it or figure out the effects on specific populations?

@HaanCenter (04/01/16/3:42PM),

The dangers of mass transportation in NYC are highly exaggerated. You are more likely to be seriously injured or killed driving a personally owned automobile in this city. Fear of people is irrational, and NYC is the wrong place to live if you feel that way.

I'm not going to support an existing system which negatively impacts millions so that one person could drive into Manhattan for free from time to time for recreation. Think about all the people who are injured and killed due to excess congestion (especially the over-represented children, seniors, and people of color). Think about the people suffering from respiratory illness due to emission from these vehicles. Think about the vast majority of New Yorkers who do travel via mass transportation into the core and would benefit from increased funding. Think about those who commute between the Bronx<->Queens, SI<->Brooklyn who have more limited mass transportation options and would benefit from lower tolls and mass transportation improvements along those routes. Think about the people who need to access the core on a regular basis and benefit from reduced congestion.

Hello Nick great to hear from you again. I understand you support the proposed tolls. What do you think about the way the proposed plan would toll e-hail services and commercial vehicles? E-hail vehicles would be subject to the surcharge (in lieu of tolls) described in Topic 1.3 and commercial vehicles would only pay once in each direction within a 24 hour period.

Residential parking permit systems have a lot of problems (witness DC, where there's a vigorous private market for permits) and every time I've brought them up in NYC, I've been told that they'll never happen.Taxing monthly parking fees is a start, but it'll hit garages hard, and keep people cruising for free or virtually free on-street spots. In concert with this tax rise, what is the city going to do that will reduce the cruising behaviors that create ~70% of NYC traffic? I think anything that raises parking prices in the city is probably a good thing, but the focus should perhaps be on-street, not off; the city has way more control there anyway.

Manhattan is only one of the five boro's and yes we absolutely have to drive from Queens or Brooklyn to Long Island daily. Increasing tolls only funds and facilitates MTA waste ,fraud and corruption. High tolls on trucking only increases the cost of goods; sold like food. The tolls should be reduced.

The reason I oppose this plan is that it's a form of regressive taxation for middle- and lower-income New Yorkers, who are often underserved by public transportation. The tolls as proposed do not create a disincentive for the portion of the population that can easily afford $35/week to commute via personal car, uber, or other car service.

This also does not address the number of rides originating within the affected area which presents a significant volume of traffic. Maybe limiting the number of cabs/uber cars operating within the areas with the highest congestion? Of course, this would involve the necessity of improving subway service that is already at capacity on certain lines at times.

I should add that I utilize my car for intra-borough trips more than anything. In the Bronx we lack efficient cross-Bronx mass transportation. It can take over an hour via bus to get from neighborhoods like Castle Hill to Morris Heights.

In the Bronx we need more agressive implimentations of SBS in more locations. Physically seperated bus only lanes where feasable, off board payment, elevated platforms for those with limited mobility, traffic light priority, etc.

More protected bicycle lanes would also encourage more New Yorkers to give it a try and realize the benefits of utilization. Most trips in this city are short, and here in the Bronx many arteries have aggressive traffic with little enforcement. Traffic calming would go a long way and is happening but slowly and not aggressively enough.

Public health should be priority. All other modes (buses and bikes) should have priority of personal automobiles.

Nick, thank you for your comments; you seem to have thought a lot about these issues. With the personal details and Bronx-specific knowledge you give as well, they should provide room for a comparative discussion.

I have wondered the same thing about a car share program for the outer boroughs where the city could give designated on street parking spots to a car share company in exchange for allowing 1 way rentals to city residents and discounted rates. This Could reduce car ownership overall and relieve a financial burden of owning a car for many middle class families in the boroughs. However I am not sure if this would be good for Manhattan as it could encourage more driving, although it could also discourage the need for taxi services.