New Jersey mayor floats ‘reverse congestion pricing’ charges in response to New York City’s controversial charges
New Jersey’s mayor has floated the idea of reverse congestion pricing after New York City implemented controversial congestion pricing last week.
Jersey Mayor Steven Fulop, who is also running for governor of the Garden State, proposed the idea, according to New York’s Fox 5.
“New Jersey has the same opportunity to push the pressure that New York has put on us,” Fulop told the outlet. “We can do that to them, but the goal is to sit down and work out a reasonable solution.”
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On March 31, 2016, Jersey Mayor Steven Fulop spoke at a rally organized by the workers’ union 32BJ SEIU in support of workers striking at Newark Airport. (Getty Images)
The mayor said he believes reverse congestion pricing is an appropriate response to New York City’s new tolls, which charge vehicles entering busy areas of Manhattan to encourage people to take the subway.
“There are a lot of border crossings between Staten Island, New York State, Bergen County, Hudson County and New Jersey,” Fulop said. “There are a lot of opportunities to get the same impact fees that New York does to New Jersey.”
Fulop said he believes the money made from reverse congestion pricing should fund New Jersey’s public transit system, which has been plagued by delays and cancellations.
Congestion pricing license plate readers are installed on Lexington Avenue in New York City on December 18, 2023. (Getty Images)
“My view is that New Jersey Transit is a terrible product and should be invested more in, and you can’t responsibly assume that people will take the train until New Jersey has a reliable transit system,” Fulop said. “But this is an opportunity to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into New Jersey’s transportation system, and I think the governor just took a very simple political approach.”
New Jersey initially had the potential to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from New York City’s new tolls, but the effort fell through due to litigation.
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Overhead equipment is being installed on New York City streets for a controversial congestion pricing scheme. (Getty Images)
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Details of Fulop’s proposal have not been finalized, but he said gantry or toll booths could be stationed outside New Jersey’s tunnels and bridges.
Similar to the congestion charge, there may be exemptions or cross-credits, he said.
It’s unclear whether New Jersey residents will need to pay tolls to re-enter their home state, like some New Yorkers pay congestion charges.
