Boston Deliberating Congestion Pricing
Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Contributor
W. Waweru is a Jadetimes News Reporter Covering America & Business News
Boston, Massachusetts – Boston is deliberating congestion fees similar to those in New York City. Mayor Michelle Wu says there is no plan in place; however, anything is on the table to reduce traffic and improve quality of life.
Darius Ross has a lot to say about this situation.
“People are dealing with it," said Ross. "They're accepting it, but they don't like it.”
Ross originally lived in New York City and explained in his suggestion that congestion pricing doesn't work, so Boston is considering pricing for drivers.
“There's no there's not a specific plan on the table," said Mayor Wu. "It's really just learning and understanding what the real before and after has been for New York.”
Congestion pricing is an impost for drivers entering high-traffic areas during peak traffic times.
New York City established a once-a-day $9 fee for cars that enter Lower Manhattan in 2025. Now Boston is reasoning about how something similar would address in Massachusetts.
Mayor Wu said a delegation of city and state workers would head to Manhattan to learn from this arrangement.
“They have a lot that they wanted to share with us," said Wu. "So I'm sending our team to go hear it directly.”
“The problem with it is the average consumer can't afford it," said Ross.
Ross advocated that congestion pricing extends to high costs of living, and it is fueling the fire of pricing New Yorkers out.
Governor Maura Healey explained to Spectrum News that the timing is not right.
“Not in the moment that we're in," said Healey. "I'm focused on affordability every single day. How do we drive down costs in housing and health care?"
Wu suggested that Boston would continue to find ways to lower traffic, lower emissions, and raise funds for the city.
“Everything should be on the table," said Wu. "When it comes to finding ways to fix traffic and have the quality of life that we all deserve.”
However, when it comes to congestion pricing from a New Yorker:
“Don't do it," said Ross. "Please find another tax revenue, tax source, something another - find another way because people are going to get priced out. I mean, what's happening now is it’s pricing people out of the city. I’m in the real estate business. So I can tell them it's pricing people out of the city.
About Wanjiru Waweru
Wanjiru Waweru is a Jadetimes Contributor. You can email Wanjiru at sellmypaperwork@gmail.com.
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