New York Gov. Kathy Hochul halted a plan to charge most motorists $15 to enter the core of Manhattan, upending the nation’s first “congestion pricing” system at the beginning of June, just weeks before it was set to launch. The announcement dealt a stunning blow to a program, years in the making, that was intended to raise billions of dollars for New York’s beleaguered subways and commuter rails while reducing emissions and gridlock on the city’s streets. The situation raises broader questions about the future of congestion pricing programs, including what could happen in Los Angeles. Today on AirTalk, we explain what happened in New York, the chaotic aftermath, the politics involved and what other cities can learn. Joining to discuss is Jimmy Vielkind, reporter for the Wall Street Journal who’s been covering New York for more than a decade, and Michael Manville, professor of urban planning at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

 

With files from the Associated Press