I agree ! I would love a place like that ! — Meh on The family from Beef Bar has taken the Sarabeth’s corner

yes — Tribeca Citizen on Congestion pricing is here

On Sunday I went to the MET from BPC, using West End / FDR. Came back same way and parked across our apt in BPC. Will I pay the toll? In theory yes, despite making zero sense. Guess will find out as soon as I get the EZ pass statement — Tiago Mogadouro on Congestion pricing is here

I shared this with my NY office folks. Most appreciated it https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/01/05/congestion-pricing-has-begun-here-is-the-only-explainer-you-need — Patrick on Congestion pricing is here

I spoke with Chris Marte a few times. I dont believe he is good for NYC, and certainly not for actually getting housing done. He voted against the city of yes. — Patrick on Congestion pricing is here

oy, this is terrible news. our favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. first sushi of Gari, now this. total bummer. thanks for posting. — JvD on Sushu Azabu will close in a couple weeks

With all the extensive news coverage and varying points of view, I have not seen a definitive answer to the most important questions. 1- How many vehicles paying the toll are necessary for the MTA to meet its financial goals? 2- How is this vehicle volume that meets financial goals, less than current vehicle volume, thereby diminishing congestion? — Tracy Nieporent on Congestion pricing is here

Does anyone know the fate of Philip Martiny's majestic sculptural group that was perched on top of the clock tower and removed in 1928? — John Willenbecher on The injustice of time, and the Clock Tower Building

Sad to see them go. They had excellent sushi, just couldn't justify the prices as our family's go-to sushi on a regular basis. More of a special occasion kind of place. — Tribeca Jess on Sushu Azabu will close in a couple weeks

Of course, I still agree that subways should be far safer, and there needs to serious enforcement against fair evasion. I have yet to see one person given a ticket for fare evasion since the pandemic. Instead, I see people jump turnstiles right in front of the "security" who do nothing. Is the safety issue just a subway problem though, or a general NYC problem of an increase in crime? If the powers that be are weak on enforcing the law, and punishments to lawbreakers are weak or non-existent, then that's a problem for the whole city, including but not limited to subway riders. — Marcus on Congestion pricing is here

Right. Perspective her is essential, rather than focusing on a few vivid (and admittedly horrifying cases): Which is actually safer as a means of travel, subway vs. car? "Last year, there were far more traffic fatalities than subway fatalities in New York City. More than 250 people died in traffic-related incidents in 2024, compared to 10 on the subway, according to NYPD data." - Gothamist article (published yesterday) - https://gothamist.com/news/feeling-anxious-about-riding-the-nyc-subway-heres-a-guide-for-staying-safe-underground (I assume the 10 number refers to murders, and does not include suicides or things like subway-surfing...?) — Marcus on Congestion pricing is here

How many people ride the subway each day? Apx 5million. 5million people ride the subway each day. Let that sink in. How many people get hurt, pushed, stabbed? A handful. I’m not denying subway violence. But I do object to sensationalizing what is happening on the subway. I’ve taken the subway for 30+ years. My kids have grown up in manhattan taking the subway fo 20+ years. I feel pretty safe. Partially because the stats say so, but also because we stay aware, head out of the phone. We all do what we can to control our safety. But with al due respect, You can no longer control getting hit by a car, regardless of when you want to cross the street, than you can control Subway violence, but you can remain aware and dilligent. This is NYC afterall. — Hmmm on Congestion pricing is here

Lung issues only from car fumes? Very dramatic Patrick. — Hmmm on Congestion pricing is here

@Will: Though regular TC readers will know that I differ on many points in your two posts, I agree with you that the peak toll period is excessively long, particularly on weekends. But I mostly want to compliment you for your measured tone -- a refreshing vibe that the rest of us (myself included) will do well to emulate. Thank you. — Komanoff on Congestion pricing is here

@Will I agree with you not only is it a tax it is a regressive tax. This a burden on drivers and those with lower incomes while fare evasion just keeps getting higher on the buses and subways. Businesses will see a drop in revenue from a loss of traffic and costs for small business will go higher as vacancy rates in lower Manhattan are already at around 20 percent. — Matt on Congestion pricing is here

The Commerce clause is not “nowhere in the constitution”. It’s in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3. And it is anything but “dormant”. In fact, it is the constitutional basis for most of the federal law in this country. — Peter on Congestion pricing is here

Would love a common sense candidate that is focused on clean streets, safe subways and reasonable development that brings commerce back to the streets of downtown. Enough with wasting money on ridiculous vanity projects, mental-health initiatives that are worthless and policies that hurt the people who work, live and raise families downtown. IT NEEDS TO CHANGE. — Downtown Dad Reborn on Congestion pricing is here

Really wish this was going to be a wood-fired pizza place focusing on seasonal ingredients a la Jon and Vinny’s from Los Angeles. It would do so well in this family-friendly neighborhood. We don’t need any more upscale fine dining joints. — Andrea Arria-Devoe on The family from Beef Bar has taken the Sarabeth’s corner

The clock tower would chime on the hour i believe that stopped around 2013 i wonder if that will ever start up again. — Matt on The injustice of time, and the Clock Tower Building

One glaring omission from this discussion is that there is effectively zero discount for people who live in the zone. The paperwork and officious bureaucracy involved in applying for a low income or disability discount is egregious. In London (which this program was allegedly modeled from), residents of the “congestion zone” get a 90% discount. And, as another person noted, the congestion high fee time period in London ends at 7pm to encourage people to come into the city for dinners, shows, etc. This is effectively an additional tax for many people who live in the zone (as all the costs to businesses will be passed on to consumers, a huge burden for workers, sick or elderly who need to drive as public transportation is not a viable option, and will be a nail in the coffin for already struggling small businesses in the zone. Government greed and stupidity at its worst. — Lisa on Congestion pricing is here

Jess Coleman is exactly what this city needs less of. Wasn't there a referendum on this exact type of candidate two months ago? Read the room. 70% of New Yorkers do not support this tax. These are the same people that have been on the wrong side of every issue since Bloomberg left office. Nauseating level of entitlement, selfishness and privilege. If somebody like Jess Coleman or Brad Lander or (insert any progressive politician that has destroyed our city) really cared about congestion, they could start by shutting down their voting block's weekly anti-American protests. Or they could stop widening bike lanes. Or they can advocate for elected officials to stop using tax-payer funded black cars so they are forced to deal with the consequences of their bad policy like the rest of us. But they don't, obviously, because they only advocate for things that inconvenience other people. Never themselves. And the concept of a fair and equitable outcome is alien to them. Congestion pricing as a policy is a brazen cash grab by the MTA funded by those who stand to benefit most: the rideshare apps. Corporate capture. If the MTA needs to raise money, they can start with the $700mm of annual fare evasion they fail to collect or cut their executives' salaries. Not levy another tax on one of the most heavily-taxed jurisdiction in the country. Regarding the ride share companies: do some research and see who the largest donors are pushing this tax. Then ask yourself why. Now consider the impact on first responders, service workers, small businesses, and the outer-boroughs - and how selfish it is to force these people to use public transportation given its descent into chaos (ironically, the same people who advocate for congestion pricing are the reason the subways are so dangerous). And if that isn't enough, consider how services may wane because of the added cost burden on their employees. What do you think an additional tax will do to costs for everything from hiring a moving company to getting groceries? As a general rule, when the worst people in the room support something - it is probably bad policy. This is no different. It will benefit the very privileged few at the expense of everybody. Stop me if you've seen how this movie ends. — JA on Congestion pricing is here

How is this tax without rep? You elect officials and they voted for it. You get to vote, you have representation. People need public transit to work, and emergency vehicles cant be caught up in the worst traffic anywhere transporting someone with lung issues from breathing toxic fumes from cars. I think this is a very good idea. — Patrick on Congestion pricing is here

I think New York, both at the state and city level, really needs to tackle the root cause of why these illegal smoke shops are popping up everywhere. Cannabis and tobacco smuggling are clearly out of control, and until we address why these markets are so lucrative, we'll keep seeing these shops. It's time for a comprehensive strategy that not only enforces current laws but also looks at how we can undercut the profitability of smuggling through better regulation and legal market support. The high regressive taxes on tobacco and cannabis in NYC have made legal products prohibitively expensive, severely impacting bodegas, newsstands, and legal dispensaries. This taxation isn't just hurting these small businesses; it's fueling an out-of-control black market for smuggled goods. The consequence? A noticeable surge in violent crimes like robberies, shootings, and stabbings targeting these very establishments. The city and state need to reconsider these tax policies by extinguishing the black markets if they truly want to reduce crime and support local businesses because New York is hemorrhaging about $1 billion annually due to its high regressive taxation on tobacco and cannabis products which is driving bodegas and newsstands that sell legal cigarettes and dispensaries that sell legal marijuana, all out of business because people are increasingly turning to illegal black market sources, like these illegal smoke shops as legal cigarettes can cost up to $20 and legal marijuana can go for $50-$100. The insane regressive taxation and over-regulation are directly responsible for the explosion of illegal smoke shops and the rampant black market smuggling we're seeing across the city. It's the poor and working-class New Yorkers who are bearing the brunt of this policy, as they either turn to illegal markets or face the financial strain from legal purchases. It's far better for New York to tax the rich and big corporations instead of the poor and the working class. — Nico on What’s to do about the few remaining illegal smoke shops?

They're installed on the undersides of the foot bridges that cross West Street. — LS on Congestion pricing is here

You enter the zone either at the bridges, tunnels or 60th Street. — Tribeca Citizen on Congestion pricing is here