This year marks the 20th anniversary of my appointment by President George W. Bush to serve as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during his second term.  Region 2 consists of the states of New York and New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of the US Virgin Islands, and eight federally recognized Indian nations.

From the very first day I took office, the poor air quality in the Metropolitan New York area was a major priority of mine. Earlier in the twentieth century, emissions from outmoded power plants and factories had been the primary cause of air pollution in New York and New Jersey.  By the 1970s, the major cause of the substandard air quality throughout both states was exhaust from congested vehicular traffic.

Throughout my tenure at EPA, the traffic congestion in Manhattan and the resulting ever-increasing emissions of air toxics and criteria pollutants was the major New York-New Jersey bi-state environmental issue.  There is no five-mile-high wall at the Hudson River preventing the spread of the polluted air from Manhattan to New Jersey. Accordingly, the air pollution in Manhattan endangered the health and safety of New Jersey residents as well.

The need was clear:  Vehicular traffic from both New York City residents and New Jersey commuters had to be discouraged, and the use of mass transit encouraged.   The consensus among air quality staff members at Region 2 EPA was that Congestion Pricing was the ultimate means of mitigating Manhattan vehicular air pollution.

Congestion Pricing involves 1) establishing a defined “congestion pricing zone” and 2) levying a surcharge electronically on vehicles travelling in the zone at certain defined times of frequent congestion.  The proceeds from the surcharges would be utilized for transportation infrastructure needs.

Congestion Pricing was implemented in London in February, 2003.  Traffic across London dropped an average of 30%, transit ridership increased and air quality improved.

As of last Sunday, January 5, 2025, under the supervision of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), Congestion Pricing is now in full force and effect in Manhattan.  The program is officially known as the Central Business District Tolling Program,

The congestion pricing zone, known officially as the Congestion Relief Zone, includes almost all of Manhattan south of 60th Street.  Drivers do not pay a toll if they stay on the FDR Drive or the West Side Highway.   Drivers on the Brooklyn Bridge and Queensboro Bridge are exempted if they used certain ramps that connected with either these highways or outside of the congestion zones.  Tolls are not charged for vehicles that use or travel across the excluded roadways for trips beginning and ending in the Central Business District.

The MTA estimates $15 billion in available capital will be generated by bonding revenues from the surcharges, which will be available to fund repairs and improvements to the subway, bus, and commuter rail systems.

This is a mammoth step forward for New York City air quality and commerce.  It will also result in a significant improvement in New Jersey air quality and a reduction in commuting time for those individuals who have no alternative but to travel by automobile to Manhattan.

New Jersey politicians, including virtually all the gubernatorial candidates of both parties, have engaged in massive pandering in their opposition to New York Congestion Pricing.  There is one major exception to this:  Jersey City Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial primary candidates Steve Fulop.

Fulop has endorsed New York Congestion Pricing as part of an overall regional plan regarding the issues of the environment and transportation.  He also has noted an overall major inconsistency regarding the New Jersey political opposition to New York Congestion Pricing.

Specifically, Fulop has asked why these opponents are not objecting to the $12 Billion taxpayer funded New Jersey Turnpike widening that will certainly increase both traffic congestion and pollution.  If the Holland Tunnel remains as two lanes, the bottleneck at the Jersey entrance to New York City will worsen, both in terms of increased traffic congestion and pollution.

I have not endorsed Fulop for the Democratic nomination for governor.  I must, however, applaud his courage and vision on the New York Congestion Pricing issue.

As for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, rather than categorically opposing the program, both he and New Jersey would have been better served if he had, during the negotiations with the MTA, at least endorsed the concept of New York Congestion Pricing.  He could have made his support contingent upon New Jersey’s receipt from the surcharge proceeds of sufficient funds for New Jersey environmental or transportation mitigation measures.  These “mitigation measures” are those necessitated by New Jersey motorists using the George Washington Bridge instead of the Lincoln and Holland tunnels in order to avoid Congestion Pricing surcharges.

New York is the first American city to implement a Congestion Pricing program.  It will result in a major enhancement in environmental and transportation quality of life in both New York and New Jersey and serve as a most favorable example for all other American cities.

Alan J. Steinberg of Highland Park served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. He graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin Law School and received a Master of Law in Taxation degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law.  Alan served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps.  He is the host of the Dynamic Political Centrism podcast, published on Substack.