Congestion Mitigation: Options for Evaluation New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission January 10, 2008

1. Congestion Mitigation:Options for Evaluation New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission January 10, 2008

2. Report Outline • Introduction • Background: the Mayor’s Plan • Public Comment and Evaluation Criteria • Research Agenda • Options for Evaluation • Appendices

3. Interagency Working Group • New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) • New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) • Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) • Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

4. Five options for evaluation • Mayor’s congestion pricing plan • Alternative congestion pricing plan • Tolling the East River and Harlem River bridges • License plate rationing • Combination of parking and taxi policies

5. Mayor’s Plan • 86th Street northern boundary • Free periphery • Intra-zonal charge • Inbound and outbound charge • 6.7% VMT reduction • $224m capital cost • $649m gross revenue (annual) • $229m operating costs • $420m net revenue

6. Strengths and Weaknesses: Mayor’s Plan Weaknesses • High capital and annual operating costs • Complex to implement • Does not charge taxis or for-hire vehicles • 340 charging sites raise greater privacy concerns Strengths • Reduces VMT by 6.7% • Intrazonal trips subject to $4 congestion fee • Free periphery allows through drivers to use the FDR and Route 9A without paying

7. Alternative congestion pricing plan • 60th Street northern boundary • Charged periphery • No intra-zonal charge • Inbound charge only • 6.8% VMT reduction • $73m capital cost • $582m gross revenue (annual) • $62m operating costs • $520m net revenue • $1 surcharge on taxi and for-hire vehicle trips in the CBD • Increase meter rates in the CBD • Eliminate Manhattan resident parking tax exemption in the CBD

8. Strengths and Weaknesses: Alternative congestion pricing plan Weaknesses • Does not offer a free peripheral route for through trips (for example from Brooklyn to the Bronx) • Some intrazonal auto trips would not be subject to any new fee or tax Strengths • Reduces VMT by 6.8% • Lower capital and operating costs than the Mayor’s Plan • Charges taxi and for-hire vehicle trips in the CBD • Easier to implement than the Mayor’s plan

9. East River and Harlem River Bridge Tolls • Per trip toll • East River and Harlem River bridges • MTA toll structure • 24 hour • 7.0% VMT reduction • $67m capital cost • $947m gross revenue (annual) • $88m operating costs • $859m net revenue

10. Strengths and Weaknesses: Tolling Weaknesses • As a 24/7 toll, would charge drivers who do not contribute to congestion • Would not charge intra-Manhattan travel • Per trip charges would have a large impact on commercial vehicle operations • Harlem River tolls would impact local trips between South Bronx and Harlem/Washington Heights Strengths • 7.0% VMT reduction • Highest net revenue • Lower capital and operating expenses than the Mayor’s plan • Eliminates the need to match transactions to calculate a daily charge • Would enable City, MTA, and PA to move toward a uniform tolling strategy for Manhattan

11. License Plate Rationing • 86th Street northern boundary • 20% vehicle ban • Assumes that DMVs in Tri-state area each create a system to register license plates by household • 10.3% VMT reduction • No revenue generated • Capital and operating costs depend on method of implementation

12. Strengths and Weaknesses: Rationing Weaknesses • Requires tri-state area DMVs to institute a household- based licensing system • Does not generate revenue • Restricts ability of businesses to make deliveries • Reduces revenue to MTA and PA Strengths • Reduces VMT by 10.3% • All drivers impacted equally

13. Combination of parking and taxi policies • Eliminate parking tax exemption for Manhattan residents • Increase parking tax from 18.375% to 38.375% in Manhattan • Increase on-street parking rates in the CBD • Eliminate 10,000 placards used to commute to jobs in the CBD • Impose $2 overnight on-street parking fee in the CBD • $8 surcharge for taxi and for-hire vehicle trips below 86 Street • 3.2% VMT reduction • $660m gross revenue (annual) • Capital and operating costs unknown • ~$660 net revenue

14. Strengths and Weaknesses: Combination of parking and taxi policies • Not further evaluated (did not meet 6.3% VMT reduction threshold)