New York City's Congestion Pricing Plan Killed

New York City Mayor Bloomberg's proposed congestion pricing plan -- under which an $8 charge would be levied on motorists driving into lower Manhattan -- died last night, as the state Senate and Assembly failed to act before a federal traffic relief grant application period expired.

Bloomberg, in his Jan. 17 State of the City address, outlined his congestion pricing traffic control measure among a number of technology-based initiatives. Congestion pricing levies a fee -- or adds a tax according to critics -- on vehicle traffic in congested areas, and has been tried in cities such as London, Stockholm and Singapore.

KW