Thank you so much for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Zoe Baldwin and I’m the NJ Director for the Regional Plan Association, a 100 year old civic organization working toward better mobility, economic opportunity, and a more resilient metropolitan region.
I’m here today to respectfully oppose AR60, and to briefly speak in favor of New York City’s congestion pricing plan.
First, I would like to highlight an important area of agreement: RPA strongly supports, and has pressed MTA to include, a toll credit at all the Hudson River Crossings, including the George Washington Bridge. We very much agree with Sponsors Swain and Tully that failing to have parity at all three NJ crossings will result in unwanted traffic shifts and have been advocating for the credit’s inclusion in the final plan.
However, I think there are some key facts missing from this dialogue that I’d like to raise here today.
As a lifelong New Jersey resident, I absolutely understand people’s frustration with the prospect of paying more to access Manhattan’s central business district by car.
But when you look at the numbers, 4-out-of-5 NJ commuters already use transit to cross the Hudson River, meaning the vast majority of residents will not be paying this fee regularly. For example, according to a census data analysis by Tri-State Transportation Campaign, 1% of District 38 commuters drive into the central business district for work.
Additionally, more than 70% of NJ residents live within 5 miles of a train station. While I don’t have that same statistic for buses, there are ample commuter routes directly into Manhattan, mostly located at convenient and free park and rides.
For the small percentage who do need or want to continue driving into the city, congestion pricing will significantly reduce traffic in the central business district making their ride faster and easier. It is also worth highlighting that drivers would not pay to use the Henry Hudson West Side Highway or FDR to get to an outer borough – they would only pay to enter the central business district in between.
Congestion pricing will also help improve the City’s public transit system, which is used by a vast majority of NJ commuters once they cross the river, further facilitating a smooth trip for everyone traveling from NJ, regardless of whether they ride or drive.
Finally, I’d like to highlight that while New Jersey drivers have always paid tolls to enter Manhattan, drivers from the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island, Westchester and Connecticut can avoid paying tolls to enter Manhattan on free crossings, such as the Third Avenue, Willis Avenue, Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. So with toll credits in place at all the entry points to Manhattan south of 60th street, congestion pricing actually levels the playing field for drivers from all three states.
The bottom line is that the Environmental Assessment shows that congestion pricing not only reduces traffic congestion and improves air quality for New York, it ultimately benefits all commuters regardless of mode.
