Congestion pricing (and resident permit parking) came a few steps closer to becoming a reality this summer when the State legislature voted to form a 17 member commission, which is charged with designing a plan to reduce traffic (by at least 6.3%) in New York City. The commission will hold hearings and make recommendations that require approval, first by the City Council and then by Albany. The plan must be in place by March 2008 if the City is to receive a substantial grant from the federal government for congestion reduction.

At the moment, the only credible plan on the table is the one proposed by Mayor Bloomberg and submitted to Albany (belatedly) in the late spring. Opponents such as Assemblyman Richard Brodsky of Westchester County and City Council member David Weprin (Queens) claim that the city has not exhausted all possible remedies to reduce congestion and that some "simple traffic mitigation" will do the trick. Disputing that opinion, The Regional Plan Association issued a thoughtful report in July comparing other cities’ strategies, such as license plate rationing, to the Bloomberg proposal. Their conclusion is that nothing would “reduce congestion or improve air quality with anywhere near the effectiveness of the PlaNYC congestion pricing program."

With respect to resident permit parking, Bloomberg’s proposal recognizes that congestion pricing could turn the communities located just outside the pricing area into "park-and-ride" lots. His plan suggests that residential parking permits and Muni-meter expansion in commercial areas would be possible solutions. Yes!

Finally, it seems, the prospect for resident permit parking is brightening. We cheered last month when the New York Times editorial board endorsed resident permit parking, affirming that “the city could get more cars off the street and raise badly needed money for mass-transit improvements if it set aside spots for residents for an annual fee.” The Times pointed to other cities, which have demonstrated that resident permit parking reduces traffic, suggesting to Mayor Bloomberg that the idea works on its own. We heartily agree and have urged the DOT to introduce resident permit parking before any congestion pricing scheme is implemented, in order to have a smoother roll-out for other new changes that are under consideration as part of PlaNYC.

We’ve also gained an influential new ally in the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, which endorses congestion pricing and resident permit parking as a means to reduce congestion in downtown Brooklyn. They have also called upon Mayor Bloomberg to eliminate government parking placard abuse. It’s great to have this injection of clout from the business community.