Daily News Briefs, March 20, 2024

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Internal MTA Document Reveals Broad Public Support For Manhattan Congestion Pricing

Streetsblog NYC reports, “Supporters of congestion pricing nearly doubled the number of people opposed to the forthcoming tolls during the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s] final round of public input, according to an internal MTA document that collated comments submitted both online and in person.” Almost 60 percent of the 25,628 comments received expressed support for the congestion pricing plan that would impose a $15 charge at peak hours on most vehicles entering the Manhattan toll zone. Opposition was nearly half that, at 32 percent, while 8 percent of responses were neutral. The article notes that these numbers, consistent with public support expressed in the first round of public comments, is not reflected in media coverage that often focuses on the plan’s most vocal opponents. MTA’s chief spokesperson, John J. McCarthy, commented, “In a world where the vast majority of commuters use mass transit, it’s not surprising that a solid majority of the public would support a program that improves train and bus service, while also reducing traffic choking Manhattan, and making the air we breathe healthier.”

Congestion Pricing Environmental Protection Policies Procedures And Initiatives Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York New York City Transit and Toll Roads

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Strengthened New York State Move Over Law Takes Effect Next Week

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) issued a reminder about a change in the state’s Move Over Law that takes effect next Wednesday, March 27. Starting on that date, drivers will be required to slow down and safely move into an adjacent lane when they approach any vehicle stopped along the roadway. When first adopted in 2010, the law applied only to stopped emergency vehicles, but it has been broadened since then. Hochul noted, “From 2016 to 2020, 37 individuals were killed outside disabled vehicles in New York. Nationally, nearly 300 drivers are struck and killed roadside every year.”

Highway and Bridge Maintenance Highway and Bridge Safety (Including COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) New York State Thruway Authority

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These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

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