Big News: The already-embattled new governor David Paterson has announced his support of congestion pricing. There’s hope for transit in New York City yet.
“Congestion Pricing addresses two urgent concerns of the residents of New York City and its suburbs: the need to reduce congestion on our streets and roads, and thereby reduce pollution and global warming; and the need to raise significant revenue for mass transit improvements,” Governor Paterson said. “We expect that revenue from the Congestion Pricing plan will support more than $4.5 billion in needed capital improvements for mass transit and meaningfully reduce traffic into the Central Business District of Manhattan.”
Mayor Bloomberg was pleased to hear this news as well. “Today, Governor Paterson has demonstrated true leadership by submitting a congestion pricing bill to the Legislature that will meet all of the objectives we’ve set – cutting traffic and reducing pollution to improve our economy and public health, and raising revenue to fund much needed projects included in the MTA Capital Plan,” he said. “We will work with the Governor and our partners in the State Legislature and the City Council to address outstanding issues – including reducing the impact on lower income drivers, and concerns about commuters who use Port Authority crossings contributing to the MTA Capital plan.”
Now we just wait to see how this game plays out.
On to the service changes:
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, there are no 1 trains between 14th Street and South Ferry. Customers may take the 2 or 3 between 34th Street and Chambers Street. Free shuttle buses are available between Chambers Street and South Ferry. These changes are necessary due to underpinning work at Cortlandt Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2 and 3 trains run local between 96th Street and Chambers Street due to underpinning work at Cortlandt Street.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 10 p.m. Sunday, March 23, Bronx-bound 4 trains run express from 149th Street-Grand Concourse to Burnside Avenue due to track panel work north of 167th Street station.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, no 5 trains between Bowling Green and Brooklyn Bridge due to signal work at Bowling Green. Customers should take the 4 instead.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 10 p.m. Sunday, March 23, Flushing-bound 7 trains run express from Queensboro Plaza to Willets Point due to track panel work south of 74th Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, there is no C train service; customers should take the A instead. A trains run local between 168th Street and Euclid Avenue with these exceptions: Brooklyn-bound A trains run on the F line from West 4th Street to Jay Street (due to Chambers Street signal modernization) and Manhattan-bound A trains run express from Utica Avenue to Hoyt-Schermerhorn due to track work.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, uptown F trains skip 14th Street and 23rd Street due to track work between West 4th and 34th Streets.
From 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, there are no G trains between Forest Hills-71st Avenue and Court Square due to track cable work between Roosevelt Avenue and Forest Hills-71st Avenue.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23, Manhattan-bound J trains skip Flushing Avenue, Lorimer and Hewes Sts. due to rail replacement between Myrtle and Marcy Avenues.
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 22, free shuttle buses replace L trains between Broadway Junction and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs. due to track work at Broadway Junction, Bushwick Avenue-Aberdeen Street and Wilson Avenue.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, Coney Island-bound N trains run on the D line from 36th Street (Brooklyn) to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue due to track panel installation between 8th Avenue and 86th Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, Q trains run local between 57th Street and Canal Street in both directions due to a concrete pour south of 42nd Street-Times Square.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 24, Queens-bound R trains run express from Queens Plaza to Roosevelt Avenue, then local to 179th Street due to track cable work between 36th Street and Roosevelt Avenue.
2 comments
This is great news . . . now we need to be wary, because the GOP is gunning for Paterson. Joe Bruno (Joe Bruno!) is one resignation away from the governorship. Never thought I’d see they day.
[…] over for Eliot Spitzer on March 17, 2008? He started his tenure off on the right foot when he announced support for congestion pricing. That, unfortunately, went nowhere. Paterson didn’t offer up much leadership on congestion […]