Ahead of Friday's legal deadline, Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to reveal on Thursday a new proposal to revive congestion pricing, a Hochul spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
"Governor Hochul paused congestion pricing because a daily $15 toll was too much for hard-working New Yorkers in this economic climate. Tomorrow, the Governor will announce the path forward to fund mass transit, unclog our streets and improve public health by reducing air pollution," Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said Wednesday.
The governor in June announced that she was “indefinitely” pausing the program, saying the planned $15 fee for drivers with E-ZPass entering Manhattan south of 60th Street was too high a cost for New Yorkers to shoulder.
While Hochul has been in talks with federal officials to restart the program with a lower, $9 fee, details surrounding Thursday's announcement remain unclear.
Sources, however, say the plan would not include any new exemptions.
Some federal legislators, meanwhile, have vowed to kill any plan the governor puts forward, with Hudson Valley Republican Rep. Mike Lawler on Tuesday saying he and other lawmakers plan to advance legislation "to stop this program dead in its tracks, period."
"Governor Hochul's congestion pricing scheme is nothing more than a massive new tax on working families, daily commuters, college students, and local residents who just want to travel within the city they call home," Lawler said in a statement Wednesday.
Multiple lawsuits were filed in an effort to halt the program, while City Comptroller Brad Lander backed two lawsuits to restart it. Hochul also acknowledged that she is bound by state law, which says the tax must generate $15 billion for the MTA to spend on subway system upgrades.
Betsy Plum, executive director of the transit advocacy group Riders Alliance, wrote in a statement that “we will finally breathe easier” once the first tolls are collected.
"If she moves forward, Governor Hochul will demonstrate the kind of leadership that we will need in abundance and which riders will continue to demand from her. Congestion pricing cannot happen soon enough," Plum’s statement reads.
Elizabeth Adams, interim co-executive director of Transportation Alternatives, another advocacy group, echoed Riders Alliance’s sentiment.
"Congestion pricing will bring safer streets, cleaner air, faster buses and billions in funding for public transportation. It's essential to New York City's future - and we can't wait any longer to start this program," Adams’ statement reads.
The proposal will still need a sign-off from the federal government. The MTA board would then vote on it in their next meeting. If the board votes to approve, it would trigger a 60-day public outreach period before the toll could begin.
Some say Hochul is rushing the program before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. He's made it clear he's opposed to congestion pricing.
The program is slated to start by the year's end, sources said.