View Larger Map Noticing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's new re-election campaign site, complete with map showing "What Shelly's Doing Near You," Streetsblog created a "Streetsblog: Pin it on Shelly!" map. Streetsblog was frustrated by Silver's site, which doesn't allow users to put a pin on Canal Street to "make note of Silver's complicity in maintaining that street's never-ending traffic jam and Chinatown's third world-level childhood asthma rate" or anywhere else. If you click on the......

Mayor Bloomberg’s ambitious congestion pricing plan may be toast (or Governor Paterson may bring it back from the dead) but it seems that skyrocketing gas prices are succeeded where Hizzoner failed. The Times is reporting that traffic on the city’s bridges and tunnels dropped 4.7 percent in June, compared to the same time last year. Meanwhile, subway, bus, bicycle and commuter rail ridership has surged. A transportaion consultant predicts that “if we start eclipsing $5......

Even though Mayor Bloomberg doesn't belong to a political party, he has confirmed he will help NY State Republicans face re-election this year. Why? It boils down to his pet failed project, congestion pricing. The Daily News reports Mayor Bloomberg as saying, "I've said repeatedly, I'll help those who help this city. The Republicans in the state Senate were willing to vote for congestion pricing and the Democrats were not." Indeed, when Assembly Leader Sheldon......

Gerritsen Beach posted this photograph of $4-and-over gasoline in Sheepshead Bay and asked, "Is this hell?" Well, for those drivers who could afford to fill up and head out of town this Memorial weekend, it might be heaven--the Daily News has two photos showing the contrast in traffic between this year's and last year's automobile rush on the Sunrise Highway. According to the AAA, 37.9 million drivers are expected on the road this weekend, down......

Photograph of the crowd waiting for a 1, 2 or 3 train at Times Square by ianqui on Flickr New data supports what everyone's been thinking: Ridership for the subway--and almost every other mass transit option--is up versus last year. So far, subway ridership is up almost 5% for the first three months of 2008 versus same period last year, and bus ridership is up 1.1%. Metro-North and LIRR both have seen ridership increases......

Photograph of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, announcing congestion pricing was rejected, by Mike Groll/AP Mayor Bloomberg didn't appear in public after Assembly Leader Sheldon put a nail in congestion pricing's coffin. But Bloomberg did issue an angry press release. The full text is after the jump (and he does thank many politicians who helped), but here's where he lets loose, after noting that while Washington D.C. was willing to give NYC $354 in federal......

Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver announced the State Assembly is rejecting congestion pricing. The controversial plan, a pet project of Mayor Bloomberg's, was approved by the City Council last week and had support from Governor David Paterson and State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, making the Assembly's support the final, critical step to ensure $354 million in federal funds (which would have been directed towards the MTA's projects). Bloomberg had been very vocal about wanting the......

The fate of the controversial plan to charge drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street lies with Albany, as state legislators must decide whether to approve the plan by midnight tonight. But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said last night, "There isn't a groundswell of support for it" among other Assembly members. But most papers are saying the plan is effectively dead. If Albany can approve congestion pricing today, then the city is eligible for $354 million......

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has kept a relatively low profile over the past several months, as Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno battled with Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who would go on to self-destruct in a highly public style. With Mayor Bloomberg's beloved congestion pricing plan past the City Council hurdle and with the support of our new Gov. Paterson, it now lays stalled in the Assembly, where whatever Silver says pretty much goes. A profile......

Democratic lawmakers in Albany seem poised to block Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan, which attempts to reduce traffic by charging drivers $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours. Though the plan was approved by the City Council on Monday, a “lively, sometimes emotional” meeting between state lawmakers yesterday ran over three and a half hours, and approximately 30 of them expressed opposition to the plan, with only four or five in favor.......

Streetsblog has this terrific map (created by the Pratt Center for Community Development) illustrating the City Council's votes for and against congestion pricing, and laid NYC highways, subways, and commuter rail options over it. The surprising votes, according to Streetsblog, are Council members Mathieu Eugene's and Bill de Blasio's because few of their Brooklyn constituents (2.4-3.7%) drive to work, as well as Council members Diana Reyna (Williamsburg) and Peter Vallone (Astoria) since their districts......

NJ Governor Jon Corzine spoke out against NYC's congestion pricing plan, citing the Port Authority's proposed $1 billion worth of involvement to sweeten the deal. The City Council approved the plan on Monday night, and now the State Legislature will decide. If passed without the Port Authority's involvement (and $1 billion), NJ drivers would face an additional $3-4 toll when crossing over into Manhattan below 60th Street. Corzine issued a statement: "I am dismayed at......

Mayor Bloomberg was beaming when he, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other City Council members gathered for a press conference to hail the Council's approval of congestion pricing last night, 30 votes in favor to 20 against. Bloomberg, who introduced the idea of charging drivers entering Manhattan (at 60th street or below) a fee, said, "The sun is shining on New York City's future today." He also lavished praise on Quinn, noting her "principled......

Mayor Bloomberg appears to have the necessary votes to get congestion pricing passed in the City Council, because the Council scheduled a vote on the matter for this afternoon. The fact a vote has been suddenly scheduled is interpreted as a sign that fellow supporter Council Speaker Christine Quinn has enough votes for approval. The Mayor must have spent his weekend bending ears and twisting arms! A critical amendment was made to the statewide version......

5-Year Regional Transit Map of Planned Improvements, (large version) from Streetsblog The Regional Planning Association released a map of what service and capital improvements tri-state riders can expect, even in the absence of approval for a congestion pricing plan. NYC Transit riders have a lot to be unhappy about following a fare hike, followed by the announcement that promised service improvements were off the table, followed by the prospect of yet another fare hike......

Gov. Paterson is proposing cutting $60 million from the MTA's $10 billion operating budget. That's less than 1%, but further decreases in real estate revenues could make an even larger dent in the budget. According to the New York Post, real estate revenues were off $31 million this month, which could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The effect on riders will not make many happy: possible service cuts and another fare......

As the deadline nears for NYC and NY State approve congestion pricing and qualify for $354 million in federal money, the anti-congestion pricing contingent is working hard to convince constituents it's not a good idea. Streetsblog reveals there are automated robocalls asking New Yorkers to oppose congestion pricing. A Streetsblog commenter transcribed part of the call:"[Do you trust the MTA]...the council members who support congestion pricing do. Every dollar in fees goes to the MTA.......

On the heels of Governor Paterson’s endorsement of Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan comes a new Quinnipiac poll showing that New York State voters oppose it 50 – 33 percent. Most of the opposition has to do with a pervasive doubt that the revenue from the plan would actually go to improve mass transit, as promised. Echoing the results of a poll in January, voters statewide say they would support the plan 60% to 30% if......

Governor David Paterson has officially announced his support of congestion pricing, "Congestion Pricing addresses two urgent concerns of the residents of New York City and its suburbs: the need to reduce congestion on our streets and roads, and thereby reduce pollution and global warming; and the need to raise significant revenue for mass transit improvements." He has introduced a bill that follows the recommendations of the NYC Traffic Mitigation Commission made in January (zone......

If you're a politician who has opposed Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan, watch out! At a Crain's business breakfast, Bloomberg said, regarding Representative Anthony Weiner's suggestion that congestion pricing would mean less federal funding (did Weiner forget the feds are offering $354 million), "That is one of the stupider things I’ve ever heard said." He said NJ Governor Jon Corzine's congestion fee opposition was hypocritical, given recent toll fee hike from the Port Authority (run......

Today Mayor Bloomberg and DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan revealed details about their Residential Parking Permit (RPP) proposal, which would restrict parking in some neighborhoods to locals during specific times. The plan is part of the mayor’s Congestion Pricing proposal and the RPP program is designed to foil commuters who would drive into neighborhoods just outside the congestion pricing zone, leave their cars for the day on a residential street, and then take the subways or......

A NY Times survey shows City Council members, if they were to vote today, oppose the congestion pricing plan 2-1. Which means it's not just Albany legislators that Mayor Bloomberg has to politick to get his congestion pricing plan passed. Congestion pricing has been a centerpiece of Bloomberg's PlaNYC initiative, a program to ensure the city's sustainability in the year 2030. A lot of transit-related planning hinges upon the millions expected from congestion pricing;......

A New York State Assemblyman ticked off about congestion pricing for suburban drivers is retaliating by proposing a $4-per-ride surcharge for taxi riders, rather than the congestion fee of $8 for motorists entering Manhattan below 60th St. That taxis are another form of mass transit that allow New Yorkers to get around without owning a car escapes Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, whose district includes parts of Westchester County. Brodsky and other representatives of suburban communities feel......

Graphic explaining trend of train delays from the MTA's capital plan presentation The MTA unveiled its 2008-2013 Capital Plan, which explained almost $30 billion will be needed to improve mass transit and complete projects like the Second Avenue Subway, the East Side Access plan and more by 2030 (many of those projects will also be delayed). Though the current MTA capital plan doesn't expire until next year, the MTA presented this plan because the......

Weighing in on the modified congestion pricing plan the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission recommended, Mayor Bloomberg said:"The Commission has done a thorough and thoughtful job. They've taken testimony from hundreds of residents, community leaders and civic organizations. They've held dozens of public meetings and have analyzed mountains of data. Although the final recommendation varies from our original proposal, I accept it. "We will work with our partners in the Council and the State Legislature, and......

Photograph by Eye Captain on Flickr The Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission has recommended a slightly different congestion pricing plan than the one the mayor made last year. Streetsblog got a look at the recommendation and toplines some of the details:An $8 fee to drive into Manhattan south of 60th Street on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (the mayor's plan had a cut-off of 86th Street Trucks pay $21, except for low-emission trucks......

A new Quinnipiac poll reveals that people may support congestion pricing - if they get something in return. And that something is better mass transit. It turns 58% of voters oppose congestion pricing (37% support), but 60% will support it if "money from the plan is used to improve mass transit in and around the city." Quinnipiac's Maurice Carroll explained, "Traffic is a horrendous problem, New Yorkers agree. But they reject all the ideas that......