Statement from MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye on U.S. DOT Advancing the Nation-Leading Central Business District Tolling Program

“We are pleased to see that our partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation have advanced the application for our first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan. After only two months in office, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg have acted quickly, rightly recognizing that by prioritizing transportation, we can accelerate our climate goals and improve equity for all New Yorkers.

“It’s more important than ever that our region has a strong and robust MTA to help power the economic recovery from this unprecedented crisis, and as traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels we must tackle congestion. Mass transit is also the great equalizer, and Central Business District Tolling will ensure that we have the funding needed to move forward with our historic $51.5 billion Capital Program to modernize the system so that it works better for all of us. We thank the President and Secretary Buttigieg for their leadership and support.

“With this guidance on an environmental assessment now in hand, the MTA is ready to hit the ground running to implement the Central Business District Tolling Program. We are already working on preliminary design for the roadway toll system and infrastructure, and we look forward to working with our colleagues at the Federal Highway Administration to conduct the review and broad public outreach so that we can move forward with the remainder of the program as soon as possible.”