meanwhile driving into Lower Manhattan will be getting pricier soon to the group responsible for deciding how much drivers will be charged under the mta's congestion pricing program met for the first time Wednesday the six-member traffic Mobility review board will recommend prices and possible exemptions and discounts for the congestion pricing program which is expected to go into effect next year after the Federal Highway Administration gave the plan a green light in June drivers could be charged anywhere from nine dollars to twenty three dollars to enter Manhattan Central business district below 60th Street but what's still unknown is how much the tools will be and what kinds of exemptions might be available for drivers paying pricey tolls for the Hudson River Crossings or if there'll be any breaks for them at all Ted Goldberg reports that's taken money out of my kids mouth or paying my rent New York's MTA is figuring out the specifics of congestion pricing to try and solve an age-old problem how much of a slog it is to drive into and around Manhattan more Vehicles means more crashes more traffic means slower ambulances police cars fire trucks it takes longer to respond to emergencies the MTA says a possible solution is a toll for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street which includes the Lincoln and Holland tunnels yesterday the mta's traffic Mobility review board held its first public meeting on congestion pricing they're the group responsible for setting the cost of tolls and who gets discounts congestion pricing leads to fewer cars less congestion faster ambulances fire trucks police faster bus and Paratransit those projects expand capacity increase reliability make the system more accessible and you know sort of address the environment with Security Programs that add cameras and other environmental resiliency I see this as a environment a huge win for Equity Kate Slevin works for regional plan Association a Tri-State non-profit she says the RPA supports discounts for anyone taking Hudson River Crossings and she has faith that the MTA will make good use of the toll money the MTA system has gotten notably better in the past I would say five to six years the service is more reliable ninety percent of the new jerseyans who commute into the central business district for work or on public transit so they are reliant on a strong good public transit system now that congestion pricing has Federal approval the MTA has to work out specifics like whether or not to expand the four hours of discounted driving in the middle of the night there's nothing about that little window that for our window and it actually gives any benefits to the working people again that make New York go so it's got to be addressed it's just it's not helping anybody the cost of the toll is estimated to be between 9 and 23 dollars while hundreds of groups have applied for discounts or exemptions it doesn't sound like most of them will be granted meaning new jerseyans entering Manhattan will likely have to pay the full amount the most effective way to ensure the lowest toll in essence really is to give the fewest exemptions discounts or crossing credits everyone else who continues to drive in must make up that difference the meeting didn't take public comment but people who disagree with congestion pricing spoke up anyway thank you very much so it's like the the gang that can't shoot straight over there the worst run mass transit system in the entire country they're just bleeding and they just need money Congressman Josh godheimer didn't interrupt the meeting but he's just as frustrated the George Washington Bridge is in his district and could see a lot more drivers trying to avoid the new tolls if you'd actually have a huge backup at the GW Bridge of all this truck traffic which is where you then get a lot of uh right a lot of pollution a lot of places in Jersey just have to drive they got to get to work you know that nurse has to go to work and charging that nurse five thousand dollars a year extra suddenly 23 a day is outrageous congestion pricing is scheduled to start up next spring for NJ Spotlight news I'm Ted Goldberg [Music] [Music]