Congressman Poses Alternate to Congestion Pricing
New York, NY —
Congressman Anthony Wiener is countering Mayor Bloomberg's plan to impose a fee on commuter vehicles in Manhattan - with an alternative proposal.
REPORTER: His idea, which centers on trucks, rather than cars, promises to cut pollution and traffic congestion while saving lower-income New Yorkers money. Weiner says trucks should be encouraged to make deliveries at night, and is also calling for the construction of the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel.
WEINER: Let me make it very clear: we want commerce to come into the city. We want business to continue to thrive....in a more fair way, that's better for the environment and better for congestion.
REPORTER: Wiener also says the city can achieve its environmental goals by discouraging trucks from transporting goods to Manhattan during peak hours, and hiking daytime truck tolls.
A spokesman for the mayor, Stu Loeser, tells the New York Sun that several of Weiner's proposals are ripped right out of the mayor's policy books, and that the plan would hurt small businesses.
