Staten Island lawmakers concerned over congestion pricing's impact on pollution, traffic
PORT RICHMOND, Staten Island (WABC) -- Officials on Staten Island are concerned that congestion pricing could send more traffic to the borough which could make air quality issues even worse in an area that already has higher rates of asthma and respiratory illness.
In Port Richmond, where tall trees and holiday décor abound, there's a sense that traffic there is about to get a lot worse.
"Traffic builds up here in the morning and again from 3-5 p.m. traffic builds up here to there, so I'm guess that's also going to increase traffic here," said Port Richmond resident Rosa Soto.
Soto worries that drivers hoping to bypass the congestion pricing toll all the way over in Manhattan, will instead circumnavigate to 440 and the Staten Island Expressway, which aren't far from her home.
And more cars and trucks will mean more pollution.
"In this area, it's way above the city average in terms of asthma and respiratory illness, emergency room visits for those types of illnesses and they will intentionally make it worse," said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella.
"They" being the governor of New York and the MTA -- both determined to raise money with a $9 congestion pricing tax.
Fossella and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis have sued to stop the plan, saying a proper environmental study was never conducted. She has also introduced legislation to stop congestion pricing.
But it may come down to one man -- the incoming president.
"I do believe at the end of the day, President Trump is with us," Malliotakis said. "He's mentioned and has said publicly that he is against congestion pricing and that he will use his authority to stop it when he takes office."
Many people call congestion pricing a money grab and some Staten Island residents are feeling particularly robbed because they already have to pay to cross the Verrazano Bridge and many people drive there because of the lack of subway service.
"We have a ferry but we have no train, we're not integrated, and now we're being forced to pay even more for the mistakes over the last 30 or 40 years," Fossella said.
But the chairman of the MTA says congestion pricing is a win for the borough.
"Eighty percent of people on Staten Island who come to the central business district take mass transit and they will benefit from this, but so will drivers," said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber. "Drivers who are wasting hours in traffic. Their time is worth money. And we think that they are going to benefit as well. And last and not least, we are providing a huge investment in Staten Island buses."
Buses that Soto may reluctantly end up riding.
"It would take a longer time of course to get into the city, so it kind of waste time if we are doing the transit commute," Soto said.
But a longer commute is one thing congestion pricing is meant to fix.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
