Auto-Free New York

07/04/2024

When we are not marching in the streets or keeping the phones ringing in our legislators’ offices, we are keeping Governor Hochul's betrayal at the top of the news.

And we won’t stop fighting until we save congestion pricing.

Here's what you can do over the next two weeks: https://transalt.org/blog/2000-toy-cars-what-to-do-this-holiday-weekend-to-save-congestion-pricing

06/07/2024

🚨🚨🚨You've probably heard a lot about congestion pricing and the stakes of the governor's current attempt to cancel it.

Today is the last stand, with the legislature set to vote on stopgap funding the governor is pushing that would provide money for the MTA that is meant to come from congestion pricing. If this passes, congestion pricing is likely dead for good.

NOTE: 🚨This funding is just for a year, not permanent; and of course we need all the benefits of congestion pricing (reduced gridlock, faster buses / ambulances / fire trucks, cleaner air, fewer emissions, less noise, less traffic violence, better quality of life)—not just the MTA money.

Senator Gianaris is ostensibly opposed but was noncommittal to a reporter. Here's a tracker with contact information so you can demand they reject any revenue replacement scheme. Assuming no help from the GOP she needs 31 Senate votes and 75 from the Assembly. See full thread for more: https://twitter.com/2AvSagas/status/1798892068577902856

We're hearing that legislators are on the fence (which is crazy! this is an easy no!), so it would be amazing if you could take one minute to call your state senator's office and say you support congestion pricing and that you want them to vote no on this stopgap funding.

You can find yours here: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator (The Senate is closer to no so that's where our focus is, but you can call your Assembly member too!: https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/search/)

If they say, "Well, we need the MTA to be funded," you can remind them: congestion pricing is the law, it will fully fund the MTA, and this bill is capitulation to Hochul's last-minute cancellation of a transformative policy we've waited years for. A no vote stands up against this odious approach and will force the governor to back down. Thank you!

News and Information from the New York State Assembly

04/05/2024

The eclipse will bring darkness to a swath of the country — but also shed some light on how bad our transit is.

01/28/2024

Cities around the world reveal surprising truths about getting the public on board with cutting car-use.

05/20/2023

Young people today are already driving less, but breaking the country’s car-dependency will require unprecedented investment in infrastructure and public transit.

04/30/2023

Germany will start one of the most affordable public transit offers anywhere in the world on Monday, setting a new benchmark to encourage consumers to ditch their cars and putting pressure on Berlin to make the shift work.

04/22/2023

"It is worth paying attention to Tokyo precisely because it shows that vast numbers of cars are not necessary to daily life. What Tokyo shows is that it is possible for enormous cities to work rather well without being overloaded by traffic congestion."

The world’s biggest, most functional city might also be the most pedestrian-friendly. That’s not a coincidence.

03/21/2023

Accused of desecrating the French capital, the politician wants more bikes, green spaces and social housing

03/21/2023

In Houston and Charlotte, developers are leveraging micromobility, transit investments and zoning reforms to create walkable projects that omit the parking lot.

03/05/2023

MTA crews will get needed access to Amtrak’s tracks crossing the Hell Gate Bridge, but Amtrak passengers potentially face months of service impacts.

02/06/2023

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/new-road-policies-two-states-people-cars-first

And Los Angeles votes to return bus service to pre-pandemic levels and more in this week's The Mobile City.