New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander and a coalition of transit advocates took to the streets just lately to defend congestion pricing towards President Donald Trump’s assaults.
Trump has just lately inserted himself into New York Metropolis politics, calling congestion pricing a “complete shame” and accusing Governor Kathy Hochul of supporting what he claims is an unfair tax on working-class drivers.
With Hochul in Washington, D.C., over the weekend, Lander and the transit advocacy group Micromobility NYC led a robust protection of the coverage, organizing an illustration that started on the Instances Sq. Pink Steps and concluded at Union Sq. Park. They affirmed congestion pricing’s function in lowering site visitors, bettering public transit, and chopping emissions.
The demonstration noticed activists, transit advocates, and native residents marching for over an hour, partially shutting down key thoroughfares. Amongst them was Alex Duncan (who goes by Miser), founding father of the Micromobility NYC subreddit, which has 25,000 members. Duncan, who helped set up the demonstration, careworn that congestion pricing advantages all New Yorkers.
“Oh, it’s nice for the town — sooner bus speeds, decrease site visitors, extra pedestrians, much less noise, higher high quality of life,” Duncan mentioned. “It’s great for the town and improves issues for everybody right here, together with drivers.”
Regardless of the chilly and windy climate, demonstrators remained resolute, chanting “Secure streets now!” whereas highlighting the constructive impacts of congestion pricing — from sooner buses and diminished site visitors to cleaner air and safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians.
Talking earlier than the march on the Instances Sq. Pink Steps, Lander condemned Trump’s intervention, calling it a political stunt designed to energise Trump’s base on the expense of New York’s infrastructure.
Duncan was significantly vocal concerning the assaults on the coverage, calling them harmful political interference. “Properly, it’s an assault on America,” he mentioned. “It’s an assault on our sovereignty as a state and a metropolis, and it’s fairly despicable, in order that’s why we’re out right here in the present day.”
The demonstration had overwhelming assist, with just one counterprotester making an attempt to disrupt it. The person, carrying a beanie with the Puerto Rican flag and carrying a “Make America Nice Once more” flag, repeatedly shouted at Lander as he walked, however the comptroller paid little consideration and continued marching with the group.
Lander additionally reaffirmed the legality of congestion pricing, dismissing Trump’s claims that he might eradicate the coverage. “We’re going to win in courtroom as a result of all the foundations have been adopted,” he acknowledged, referring to the federal authorities’s environmental evaluation and approval course of.
The march culminated in Union Sq. Park, the place advocates and metropolis officers, comparable to group board members from outer boroughs, celebrated congestion pricing’s success in lowering congestion, bettering transit occasions, and producing income for the MTA.
Additionally among the many demonstrators was Christopher Sanders, a software program engineer and former Harlem resident, who mentioned congestion pricing has alleviated the town’s site visitors issues. “It was getting loopy. It was an excessive amount of,’ Sanders mentioned. “Now, site visitors is transferring higher, and it simply is smart to maintain it. The bus is quite a bit sooner, in order that’s a very good factor … I feel they need to preserve it.”
Regardless of Trump’s claims that congestion pricing harms small companies, Sanders argued that financial knowledge elsewhere suggests in any other case. A POLITICO report famous that New York’s congestion pricing was anticipated to generate $1 billion yearly, which might be leveraged into $15 billion in municipal bonds to fund crucial upgrades to the town’s transit infrastructure.
