Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Year : 2, Issue: 17
Fox5NY: A judge has refused to pump the brakes on the congestion pricing plan set to go into effect on Jan 5 in New York City.
In the ruling, Judge Lewis Liman said the plaintiffs did not prove that the harms of the program outweigh the economic and environmental benefits.
Liman cited studies showing that it would reduce traffic and improve air quality.
Other legal challenges are still being considered, including ones from Rockland County and New Jersey.
New Yorker Dennis Collins hopes the courts will shut down New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s controversial plan to cut gridlock and push more people onto buses and trains.
The federal judge said no to all of them.
However, Staten Island isn’t backing down. In a statement, Fossella’s office said:
“Our claims that congestion pricing violates the Green Amendment, Federal NEPA, and the Commerce Clause continue to be heard.”
Still, the chances of blocking the plan are slim. A judge in White Plains recently rejected a similar request from Rockland and Orange counties.
Their last hope now lies with a case in Newark, New Jersey or a possible intervention from president-elect Donald Trump, who has been vocal about his opposition.
The MTA says the program is a win for everyone.
