Although details of the hearings are not yet arranged, they will begin Tuesday, January 16 and likely continue during that week. Newspapers said the hearings will take place in Manhattan, Staten Island, Hudson County and Bergen County. Citizens and officials from those areas interested in traffic relief should attend the hearings and support the Port Authority's move to congestion pricing. Details of the toll and PATH fare plan are available from the Port Authority (www.panynj.gov/pr/prprframe.htm) and in MTR #295.

Port Authority staff, in presenting the plan to the PA board yesterday, referred frequently to plans to integrate transit fare collection among the various regional systems, as an example of how life would improve for PATH riders after a big fare increase.