public hearings

Public hearings
Proposed Toll Rates for the Central Business District (CBD) Toll Program
The Triborouqh Bridge and Tunnel Authority, operating under the name MTA Bridges and Tunnels, will hold a hybrid public hearing to solicit comments on proposed toll rates for the Central Business District (CBD) Toll Program ). The hearings will be held in a hybrid format with the possibility of in-person participation, as well as virtual participation through the online platform Zoom and via conference call; A live broadcast of the meeting will be available on the MTA YouTube channel.

As defined by the MTA's Reform and Traffic Mobility Act of 2019 (the "Act"), TVTA will establish a CBD Tolling Program and will collect tolls from vehicles entering the Manhattan Central Business District, as defined by law. as the area south of and inclusive of 60th Street, but does not include Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Drive, New York State Route 9A (including the Battery Park Underpass), and any above-ground portion of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel that connects with West Street. The program's goal is to reduce traffic congestion and generate revenue to fund $15 billion in improvements to subway, bus and commuter rail systems under the MTA's 2020-2024 capital plan and beyond.

The Act establishes a Transport Mobility Review Board, which is tasked with preparing recommendations for a tariff schedule consistent with the parameters of the Act, including the amount of fees and any credits, discounts and/or exemptions. These recommendations were published on November 30, 2023. On December 6, 2023, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority Board of Directors voted to implement the administrative process necessary to develop and approve the toll rate schedule.

Accordingly, the public comment period is now open and a hybrid public hearing will be held to allow the TVTA Authority to receive feedback on the proposed fare schedule. The public comment period began on December 27, 2023 and will continue until March 11, 2024. The proposed travel tariff scheme can be found on the website: https://new.mta.info/document/129191 . Below is a summary of the proposal:

■ Passenger vehicles and passenger vehicles with commercial license plates will be charged an E-ZPass entry fee into the CBD of $15 during peak periods, no more than once per day.

■ Trucks will be charged $24 or $36 during peak periods to enter the CBD via E-ZPass, depending on their size.

■ Buses providing transit or commuter services will be exempt from fares. Other buses will be charged an E-ZPass entry fee of $24 or $36 during peak periods, depending on their type.

■ Motorcycles will be charged half the corresponding passenger car toll, up to a maximum of once per day.

■ Tolls will only be charged to vehicles when entering the CBD, not while they remain in or leave the zone.

■ Peak period tolls will be charged at the busiest times of the day - from 5:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 21:00 on weekends. At night, fares will be 75% lower.

■ A tunnel credit toward the peak toll portion of the CBD will be provided to vehicles with E-ZPass entering the four toll gates that lead directly into the CBD: the Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey, Holland and Lincoln tunnels. At night, when fares for travel in the Central District are already 75% lower than during the peak period, travel credits will not apply.

■ New York Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) taxis, green taxis and for-hire vehicles (FHVs) will be exempt from the system's daily vehicle fare. Instead, a per-trip fee will be added to each passenger fare paid for travel to, from, or within the CBD at a rate of $1.25 per trip for taxis, green taxis and FHVs, and $2.50 per trip for FHVs for trips carried out by the high-volume for-hire service (abbr. HVFHS).

■ Specialized government vehicles will be exempt from tolls on the CBD (in addition to certain emergency response vehicles and certified vehicles transporting persons with disabilities as provided by the Act).

■ Low-income vehicle owners who qualify and enroll in TVTA's Low Income Discount Plan will receive an E-ZPass peak-period toll discount that is 50% lower than the E-peak toll rate. -ZPass for passenger cars, on the 11th trip in your vehicle and subsequent trips within a calendar month.

■ Generally, CBD toll rates for vehicles using payment methods other than E-ZPass, commonly referred to as Tolls by Mail, will be 50% higher than for E-ZPass customers.
Full information on the proposed fares can be found on the website https://new.mta.info/document/129191 .

DATES AND TIMES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

Public Hearing on the Central Business District (CBD) Toll Program

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 6:00 pm

Friday, March 1, 2024 at 10:00 am

Monday, March 4, 2024 at 10:00 and 18:00

The hybrid format of public hearings will include both in-person and virtual venues.

Venues of hearings (in person)

The hearing will be held at the AIT headquarters at 2 Broadway, 20th Floor - William J. Ronan Board Room, New York, NY 10004.

How to join public hearings (virtually)

If you are registered to speak, you can join the hearing in person, online, or by telephone by following the instructions below: Join a Zoom meeting online: To join a Zoom meeting online, use ccbinKO^ https://mta.zoom.us/j /82624594335 Join a Zoom meeting by phone: To access a Zoom webinar by phone, call (929) 436-2866 (local) or (833) 548-0282 (toll-free). Next, enter the webinar ID: 826 2459 4335 and add a pound sign (#).

Format of public hearings

The hearings will be held in a hybrid format with the possibility of in-person participation, as well as virtual participation through the online platform Zoom and via conference call; A live broadcast of the meeting will be available on the MTA YouTube channel. Those wishing to speak at the public hearing must register. Each registered speaker will have two (2) minutes to speak. Each hearing will be limited to 240 minutes, or approximately 120 presentations. Speakers who have not yet spoken at a hearing on the CBD Toll Program will have priority over those who have already spoken at a hearing. All comments will be transcribed and added to a permanent archive of hearing data.

Registration to participate in public hearings

To register, go to https://new.mta.info/agency/bridges-and-tunnels/cbd-tolling-hearing , or call the Public Meeting Hotline at (646). Telephone service employees work daily from 6:00 to 22:00. Registration begins one week in advance

each hearing and ends 30 minutes after it begins.

To provide comments

You can submit your comments online at: https://new.mta.info/project/CBDTP , by sending an email to: [email protected] or by mail to: Central Business District Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004. You can also call the CBD Toll Program comment line at 646-252-7440.

All comments must be received no later than 11:59 pm on March 11, 2024. Comments received after this date will not be considered.
Accessibility for all and translation services

Participants may benefit from sign language interpreter and transcription services from CART Captioning Services. People with hearing impairments can call their preferred relay service or the toll-free 711 relay service and ask to be connected to the Public Hearings Hotline at (646) 252-6777 to speak with a staff member.
Members of the public who do not have access to a computer or the Internet can listen to audio content from each hearing by joining the Zoom webinar at (929) 436-2866 (local) or (833) 548-0282 (toll-free). Next, enter the webinar ID (Meeting ID): 826 2459 4335 and add a pound sign (#).
If you require language or any other assistance, your request must be placed at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled hearing date by one of the following methods: by email at [email protected] , by calling the Public Hearing Hotline at telephone (646) 252-6777 or in writing to: AIT Government & Community Relations, Attn: Central Business District Tolling Program Hearings, 2 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10004.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
www.mta.info