MTA & city sign off on congest plan

New York League of Conservation Voters, told The News. “It is really taking a holistic look at how we are going to green our economy over the next 30 years.”

The three-way agreement comes weeks after Cuomo criticized the bill put forth by his fellow Democrats as unrealistic.

“What I don’t want to do is to give people a political placebo where we put forth dates and goals that we cannot make,” the governor said after omitting the environmentally friendly package from his end-of-session priorities list.

Some advocates said that while a major victory, they wished to see lawmakers go further. NY Renews, a coalition of environmental, social justice and labor groups, felt that some of the changes made weakened the bill.

“While the bill does set mandates for deep emissions cuts, including a zero emissions target for the electric sector, we are deeply concerned that changes in the legislative language over the versions of the bill will weaken the bill’s original intent to directly invest resources in vulnerable communities,” the group said. New York City’s congestion pricing program is inching forward.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city’s Department of Transportation reached an agreement last week to work together on implementing the car-taxing scheme.

Lawmakers had included a provision in the congestion pricing measure that required both parties to come to terms on the program within 60 days. Officials signed off on the deal on June 11, the day before the deadline.

The agreement, seen by the Daily News on Tuesday, says that the MTA and DOT will both have a hand in planning, designing, installing and maintaining the infrastructure used to run the toll program, which will charge cars for entering Manhattan south of 61st St.

The MTA will cover all of the costs for the project, and is not allowed to circumvent the city’s permit process during installation, according to the agreement. DOT officials have agreed to “an expedited review and consultation process” for all of the designs involved with the program.

Mayor de Blasio told The News that the agreement will “ensure effective coordination” between the MTA and the city. MTA Chairman Patrick Foye echoed that sentiment, noting that congestion pricing will “make New York a stronger and more livable place.”

Earlier this month, the MTA sent a notice to vendors seeking proposals on implementing congestion pricing. The document showed that the agency is looking for technology that can track drivers by time and mileage and then charge them accordingly.

The type of technology the MTA is seeking is an indication that the cost of driving in the congestion zone may one day vary depending on how much traffic is on the street, how long cars spend in the zone and how far they drive.

According to last week’s agreement, the city will have a hand in implementing those measures.