| Issue 294 | November 13, 2000 |
A
pilot program begins November 13th for commercial vehicles with business
around Times Square, billed by freshman NYC Commissioner of Transportation
Iris Weinshall as the city's first application of congestion pricing.
From now on, in a zone bordered by Fifth Avenue, Avenue of the Americas,
West 43rd and 48th Streets, truck drivers must pay to park for loading
and unloading between 7am and 6pm.
The charge -$1 for one hour, $3 for two hours and $6 for three hours - must be paid at computerized meters now installed on these streets. Receipts from the machines show time of purchase - drivers are required to place visibly on vehicle dashboards. The program will lasting at least one and a half years.
According to Weinshall, the goal is to test the effect of congestion pricing on city traffic. While an extremely positive step that complements pedestrian improvements in the Times Square business district, the experiment may not be large enough to serve as an accurate measure (MTR #287). One area landlord expressed skepticism to the New York Times, citing private cars as the central source of Midtown congestion. The newspaper also interviewed a manager at UPS who said the maximum $6 was not likely to be high enough to affect the timing or speed of deliveries.
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