As the contentious congestion pricing scheme nears its launch in New York City, New Jersey officials are sparing no effort in their legal battle to halt it. With the clock ticking, Federal Judge Leo Gordon has scheduled a hearing this afternoon in Newark—just 33 hours before the plan is set to begin—to deliberate on a Temporary Restraining Order filed by New Jersey, according to NBC New York.
Despite the legal tangle, the congestion pricing program, hailed by some as a transformative step for modernizing transit, is predicted by the MTA to roll out as intended this Sunday. Meanwhile, New Jersey attorneys have cited serious health concerns, as lifted from an interview with Congressman Josh Gottheimer by CBS News, who termed the plan a "lung tax" due to the anticipated influx of traffic across the George Washington Bridge.
However, New York's government stands by the launch date. "Congestion pricing is still going to take effect on Sunday, January 5th," Avi Small, Gov. Kathy Hochul's press secretary, stated emphatically. The initiative will impose varied fees for drivers entering Manhattan below 61st Street, with peak prices for EZ-Pass users set at $9, according to NBC New York.
Criticism from New Jersey about the congestion pricing plan has been sharply rebuffed by MTA officials. "Nobody in their right mind should take transportation advice from the New Jersey politicians who have woefully failed to manage transit in their state," John McCarthy, MTA chief of policy and external relations, told NBC New York, showcasing the acrid remarks being exchanged across the Hudson. The debate carries on with transit advocates endorsing the initiative, reminiscent of other successful implementations like in London and Stockholm, as per Lisa Daglian of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA's statement to CBS News.
While the immediate future of congestion pricing may appear uncertain, Michael Gerrard, a professor of environmental law at Columbia Law School, suggested to CBS News that if New Jersey's request for a temporary restraining order is granted, "Then it may be that the MTA would seek an emergency hearing before the court of appeals." The final decision awaits to be seen, with an important deadline looming on January 20 as President-elect Donald Trump has voiced a desire to scrap the plan post-inauguration.
