So, the City Council has finally backed Mayor Mike Bloomberg -- and approved his congestion-pricing plan for lower Manhattan.
So?
The New York State Legislature still needs to back the plan -- or New York City will lose $354 million in federal funding pledged to it last year. That money will go by the wayside if the state does not get on board by April 7.
We've said all along that congestion pricing is a noble idea -- but one that is impractical at best at this time for New York City. The idea, under Bloomberg's revised plan, is to charge drivers a daily fee to access Manhattan south of 60th Street between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.. Those prices begin at $8 daily for cars and soar to $21 daily for trucks.
The original plan was to charge drivers south of 86th Street.
The idea is flawed, though, because the bottom line is that alternatives to access New York City are limited to some. Until better infrastructure -- and better transit systems -- can be established congestion pricing will simply be an idea in search of practical implementation. It will not solve the problem of over-crowded city streets. It will not solve pollution. It won't do much of anything, in fact, if passed -- other than to create a greater burden on working stiffs who have no other choice but to drive daily into Manhattan.