central area toll

Democrat legislators in a closed party meeting in the State Capitol in Albany decided today not to allow New York City congestion pricing to be put to a vote in the State Assembly. Democrat leader and assembly speaker Sheldon Silver claimed the opposition was "overwhelming" among Democrats. This he said, without explanation, was sufficient reason not to schedule a vote.

The central area toll plan for Manhattan won a key vote on the City Council with a solid majority - 30 to 20 - Monday night, but the state legislature still has to vote approval.

The new governor of New York David Paterson moved Friday (2008-03-21) to support New York City congestion pricing - one of the largest toll system projects going in the US. Paterson issued a statement of support and submitted an enabling bill to the legislature.

Firms bidding to build and operate New York City's central area congestion toll are virtually unanimous that the project faces catastrophe if the City attempts to proceed as planned. They say the scheme put out for comment by the City is unnecessarily complicated and expensive, and that the schedule is so rushed it may be impossible to meet. City officials have said they may have to adjust their plans.

New York City's request for expressions of interest in their $400m+ congestion pricing system got responses from many of the major toll system players plus a lot of lesser knowns. The biggies in US toll system work who filed responses were TransCore, Raytheon, and ACS.

No ETC, TRMI, Caseta, UTS, TTI or InTranS.

Stockholm's central area toll (SCAT) restarted Aug 1 about 13 months after a six month trial ended and ten months after a referendum showed 52/45 percent public support. A most interesting change is that the scheme now relies entirely on video tolling - use of infrared (IR) cameras that image the rear or front of vehicles and allow quite accurate reads of license plates.

The New York City central area toll (CAT) has been blocked by the state assembly. The plan released by Mayor Michael Bloomberg Apr 22 gained the support of the state governor Eliot Spitzer (Dem), most business and local groups, most of the media, and USDOT.

The feds as good as promised $500m for it.

A Senate bill was drafted (SB6068) to implement the scheme.

Stockholm's central area toll is due to be restarted August 1 and it will rely mainly on cameras. A bill introduced in the Swedish parliament by the four-party coalition government provides for reinstatement of tolls at the 18 entry points to the central area, as during the seven month trial in 2006.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced congestion pricing by way of a central area toll (CAT) for Manhattan as part of a major plan for a "greener greater New York City." His proposal - a fullscale three year trial - defines a congestion pricing zone south of 86th Street where except for use of the West Side Highway/West Street, the FDR Drive, and major bridge approaches there would be an $8 toll for each entry and exit and daily movement within and a $4 toll for internal travel