Congestion Pricing Moves Closer

The U.S. Department of Transportation overwhelming endorsed the plan for congestion pricing in New York City. Not only did Mary E. Peters, the transportation secretary, praise Mayor Bloomberg's plan, but the federal government put its money where its mouth is, ponying up $354 million to help fund the plan.

She said of the plan, "Unlike building new roads, this plan can be implemented quickly and will have almost an immediate impact on traffic. That's something our current approach has failed to deliver. It seems the only thing growing faster than transportation spending -- which has doubled since 1991 -- is traffic congestion along our cities and highways. Mayor Bloomberg is that rare politician willing to take on taboo topics like congestion pricing, because he knows that commuters need solutions that work, not promises that do not."

The department of transportation all but said congestion pricing must be part of the plan if NYC is to receive the money. Ms. Peters made it clear that she believed congestion pricing was an essential element of that plan, saying "it would be difficult for them to meet those performance objectives" if the commission arrives at a plan that is "substantially different" from the mayor's.

The question that remains is will dinosaurs like Sheldon Silver and Walter McCaffrey get out of the way of progress, or will they be run over by it.