Congestion Pricing Begins; Firefighter Unions Blast it Anew, NJ Vows to Continue Fight

Motorists were paying more to get into Manhattan below 60th St. starting on Jan. 5 after New Jersey lost its last ditch appeal to derail the toll. Cars with E-Z Pass started paying $9 to enter the zone in the peak hours from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

The MTA says it will cut pollution, reduce congestion and generate $600 million in toll revenue.

The start of the toll triggered an angry reaction from the city’s EMT and Firefighters unions, who urged workers who have to travel into the zone to protect the 400,000 residents who live below 60th St. in Manhattan to apply for transfers.

Andrew Ansbro, the head of the Uniformed Firefighters union said the MTA should be hunting down fare beaters, who are costing the MTA $700 million a year, rather than leveling the toll that it hopes will generate $600 million in toll revenue.

“The fact that last week we saw a video of a murder, and that was the third crime you saw in that video — the first two were the turnstile jumpers, and they can’t manage that, and they celebrate that,” Ansbro said at a press conference blasting the toll.

Firefighters frequently have to move from house to house with their equipment if there are shortages in certain houses due to sick calls. And he said that it will cost firefighters who travel into the district from the suburbs or outer boroughs several thousand dollars more per year just to do their jobs protecting people living within the zone.

“This is going to cause a serious problem in response times, it’s going to be dangerous in New York City, all because the city, the state and the MTA could not come to an agreement on what to do for the FDNY,” Ansbro said.

“They’re taxing New Yorkers to use their streets, and they’re using our streets to do the taxing. They’re a disgrace. They can’t manage themselves, and they do not appreciate the work that is done by New York City civil servants.”

The MTA appeared to be taking a victory lap as its controversial congestion pricing toll cleared an 11th hour appeal from New Jersey to block, which started shortly after the clock struck midnight on 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 5.

“Everybody knows this is a huge weekend in New York,” said MTA chairman Janno Lieber, at a hastily called press conference late on Jan. 3 shortly after the ruling was handed down. “Congestion pricing goes live this Sunday, Saturday night going into Sunday, as planned.”

New Jersey sued New York in 2023 claiming that imposing the toll would lead to environmental harm from increased traffic in the Garden State by drivers seeking to avoid the toll. But after a four hour hearing on Jan. 3, Judge Leo Gordon rejected the argument.

“We’re really gratified that earlier this week, Judge Leo Gordon in New Jersey, rejected that state’s claim that the environmental assessment, the 4,000 page document reflecting five years of work that had been approved by the federal government, he rejected the claim that it was deficient in some way. And today [Jan. 3] the judge confirmed that ruling and denied New Jersey’s efforts to get an injunction to stop congestion pricing.“

“We’ve been studying this for five years, but it only takes about five minutes if you’re in mid-town Manhattan to realize that New York has a real traffic problem,” Lieber said.

The financially strapped MTA says it expects the toll will cause about a 13 percent drop in traffic into mid-town while helping to bring in $600 million from tolls that will enable it to raise up to $15 billion in bonds that will be used to make badly needed major capital improvements to infrastructure.

The toll will cost car drivers with E-Z Pass $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th St. from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. During off-peak hours, tolls will be reduced to $2.25.

Lieber was asked what he would say to opponents of congestion pricing who say the public is avoiding mass transit due to a spate of random crimes and this is a cash grab by MTA to make up for declining ridership. “I am with those who are pushing to restore a full sense of order in the MTA,” he said.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy vowed to make one final pitch to get an appeals court to overturn the latest ruling.

“We respectfully disagree with the trial court's decision not to halt New York’s congestion pricing program before it goes into effect on Sunday.

”The judge found that the Federal Highway Administration acted arbitrarily and capriciously in approving the MTA’s plan insufficient environmental mitigation commitments were made to New Jersey. Wee will continue to fight for the people of New Jersey by seeking emergency relief from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.”

Lieber in his press conference appeared to be answering Murphy, though he did not address him by name. “The time for debating and law suits is over. It is time to get to work.”