Gentile Set To Oppose Revised Congestion Pricing Plan

The following is an unaltered press release from the offices of Councilman Vincent Gentile:

Councilman Vincent J. Gentile is slamming a revised proposal of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2008 congestion pricing plan calling it “dead on arrival” in south Brooklyn.

“Congestion pricing” was a proposed traffic congestion fee for vehicles traveling into or within Manhattan. Opposition to the proposed plan was so overwhelming it was never put to a vote in the New York State Assembly.  The 2008 plan would have charged drivers up to $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“As far I’m concerned, this new version of an old plan is dead on arrival,” Councilman Gentile said. “We will not sock motorists with new tolls in exchange for some ephemeral pledge to improve transit services somewhere.”

Gentile continued: “Before we raise the issue of charging drivers to enter Manhattan or creating new revenue streams for infrastructure improvements, we need to talk about a real, sustainable commitment to bringing fast and reliable public transportation to the outer boroughs. Give me real on-time, frequent service on the R, N and D trains and then maybe we’ll talk.”

In many areas, New York City is still very much recovering from Hurricane Sandy underground. The MTA is in the midst of a 14-month project to repair flood damage inflicted on the R line by the storm which the agency said is so extensive that the tunnel will basically need to be completely rebuilt.

Work is being done around the clock to restore the Montague Street tunnel connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan in order to return it to its condition before the storm. In addition, crews are hard at work protecting and reinforcing vulnerable subway stations, tunnels, storage yards and other equipment from future storms and coastal flooding.

Gentile sees this as no time for fanciful proposals.

“We should be working towards real, tangible goals such as 24-hour R-train service, more reliable express trains, better bus service, and permanent restoration of a south Brooklyn ferry. That is what people need right now – not another fee and another toll!”

Even the proposed toll reduction on the Verrazano Bridge doesn’t work.

“Drivers in the south Brooklyn neighborhoods I represent use both the Verrazano and the East River bridges extensively – the same constituent who might benefit from a reduced toll on the Verrazano Bridge will then turn around and get socked with a new toll on the Brooklyn Bridge! That’s what we call robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

A note of context: Governor Andrew Cuomo has also said that the plan is unlikely to go anywhere.