In contrast to reports at the January 11th meeting of the I-287 Task Force, the NY State Thruway Authority's board of commissioners meeting yesterday did not take up the issues of beginning an environmental review for a Tappan Zee Replacement Bridge or of implementing congestion pricing at the Tappan Zee Bridge. The Tappan Zee II plan has been assailed in numerous public meetings and news articles. The commissioners did discuss a 3% toll increase for all Thruway facilities to help pay for a new agency capital program. That increase, scheduled for June, 2000, could provide the context for the Thruway's introduction of an anti-congestion variable toll schedule at the Tappan Zee.

Nervousness of Thruway staff outside of the meeting implied that the agency half-expected a mob of angry Hudson Valley citizens to descend on the agency. Thruway Authority board meetings seem unused to accommodating public input or presence. Members of the public, including state legislative staff, were not allowed into the meeting room until the commissioners had been in session for 15 minutes. No public comments were permitted. At the close of the meeting, the board went into executive session for agenda items that did not appear to have anything to do with contract issues. The Thruway should adopt the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's better developed public participation procedures.