Public Encouraged to Continue Submitting Comments Online, by Email, Mail, Phone or Fax
Formal Public Comment Period on CBDTP Environmental Assessment to Begin in Late Spring/Early Summer
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) encourage the public to continue to provide comments on the early outreach process and project for the proposed Central Business District Tolling Program (CBDTP) proposal, also known as congestion pricing, prior to April 27, 2022. Information on the CBDTP proposal, including links to presentations and public outreach meetings, may be found at https://new.mta.info/project/CBDTP. Based on extensive early public outreach, the proposal has benefited from more than 7,000 comments in the tri-state area to date.
Where to Comment
Online: Members of the public are invited to continue to submit comments related to the CBDTP project and process on the project website at new.mta.info/project/CBDTP, which also provides information about the proposed program and anticipated benefits, as well as the Environmental Assessment (EA) process. It also allows members of the public to sign up to stay informed with alerts, view the latest news on the program, and more.
Email: CBDTP@mtabt.org
Mail: CBD Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004
Phone: Call (646) 252-7440 to leave comments or questions
Fax: Send to (212) 504-3148 with Attention to CBDTP Team.
The public is invited to watch any of the series of public meetings that have been held about the program on the MTA’s YouTube channel under the CBDTP playlist.
While the conclusion of the early public comment period in April will bring the initial phase of robust public outreach and participation to a close, the proposed CBDTP will soon enter the next phase of public involvement. Beginning in late spring/early summer, the sponsoring agencies will commence a new public comment period and outreach process, including public hearings, on the EA, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA establishes the purpose, need and objectives for the proposed CBDTP program, identifies any possible effects resulting from implementation, and identifies potential mitigations as appropriate.
Central Business District Tolling Program Background and Next Steps
The CBDTP was authorized by the State in April 2019 and modeled on urban congestion pricing programs around the world to reduce traffic congestion and raise needed revenue to improve public transportation. Other cities across the world that have similar programs have also experienced reduced traffic and improved air quality. If approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the CBDTP would be the first such program in the United States.
In March of 2021, FHWA informed the project partners of its determination that an EA was the appropriate next step for the CBDTP, including a robust public participation process designed to ensure involvement of stakeholders from throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The current comment period is part of an enhanced early outreach program that began last fall and is informing the creation of the EA document required by FHWA. To date, the project partners have held 19 virtual public meetings, 9 of which were focused on Environmental Justice communities and populations and convened an Environmental Justice Technical Advisory Group and an Environmental Justice Stakeholder Working Group to better understand concerns related to potential effects of the program on minority and low-income populations. The EA is expected to be released later this spring.
All comments submitted via the CBDTP website, email, mail, phone, and fax will be documented and indexed as part of the review process. Following the release of the EA, the program sponsors will hold public hearings seeking formal comments on the document itself. Those comments will also be formally documented and responded to in subsequent documents.