New York City's "congestion pricing" plan is set to start later this year, despite widespread opposition.

The plan calls for drivers entering Manhattan's Central Business District, defined as all streets below 60th, to pay a toll. Proponents argue it will boost public-transportation use and cut air pollution, but lawmakers and community activists disagree.

Michele Birnbaum, founder of The Coalition in Opposition to Congestion Pricing, predicted this plan will merely transfer Manhattan's traffic problems to other areas, and also increase air pollution.

"The traffic will increase in the areas outside the zone, causing noise pollution and congestion in those areas," she said. "They'll be cruising with vehicles and for-hire vehicles to go into the zone. They'll be cruising for parking spots."

One assessment shows air pollution will increase in the Bronx, Staten Island and into New Jersey. The City of Fort Lee and State of New Jersey have filed lawsuits about the program's effects. Most recently, the United Federation of Teachers president and Staten Island's borough president filed a lawsuit citing the environmental impacts.

The MTA will hold several public comment sessions starting on Feb. 29.

The only roads exempt from the program are the Battery Park Underpass, the West Side Highway and FDR Drive. Bus companies have been wondering if they'll get an exemption from the tax, and Birnbaum said she wonders how the program will have a future if it's successful.

"They want to eliminate cars and trucks coming into the zone," she said, "but if they eliminate it enough, they don't get their target money."

However, a study from U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., found that MTA stands to make around $3.4 billion annually from the program, well over MTA's estimate of $1 billion.

Public feedback has been mixed, with some noting it will force the MTA to make improvements to mass transit. Given this uncertainty, Birnbaum said she thinks the congestion-pricing introduction should have been handled differently.

"Our mayor is sort of buckling on this a little bit," she said. "If they felt so strongly about it, put it up for a vote. Instead, somebody introduced it into the budget."

A Siena College/Newsday poll found more than 70% of Long Islanders are opposed to congestion pricing. Nassau County's government set up a petition for people to sign opposing congestion pricing, too.


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Massachusetts will receive close to $1 billion in federal funding to replace the Cape Cod bridges.

Lawmakers said it is the largest single bridge funding grant in U.S. history and the biggest federal grant ever awarded to the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy called it game-changing for the state's economy.

"It is a turning point truly in terms of sustained investments in an infrastructure whose benefits will be felt for generations," Healy emphasized. "It's a victory that we celebrate today."

The nearly 90-year-old Sagamore and Bourne bridges provide the only routes on and off the Cape and are considered "functionally obsolete" despite carrying more than 30 million vehicles each year. Healy explained plans are to focus first on replacing the Sagamore Bridge before turning to the Bourne.

The Biden Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which established the Bridge Investment Program, invests a total of $40 billion over five years to help ensure the nation's most important bridges remain safe and operational. Already, the law has funded more than 7,000 bridge projects nationwide.

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said it feels like "Christmas in July," with the bridge project set to create some 9,000 construction jobs.

"We're going to do this with union labor," Markey pointed out. "It is going to be one of the largest union projects in Massachusetts history."

Markey noted an additional $700 million dollar state investment will allow construction on the Sagamore Bridge to begin. It is projected to be completed sometime in 2034 with the Bourne Bridge replacement completed more than a year later. The new bridges would be built next to the old ones to avoid traffic disruptions during construction.

Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee heard testimony on the state and federal response to the collapse of the Key Bridge. In addition to a recap of the cleanup efforts, testimony turned to bridge replacement and who is paying for it.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced the Baltimore Bridge Response Invests and Delivers Global Economic Relief Act, in which the federal government would fund 100% of the replacement of the bridge and its approaches. Cardin said the money is needed immediately.

"We are asking for the 100%, because that's what we've done in the past and we need it now," Cardin emphasized. "Because we are lending contracts to start the construction now. We don't want to delay this. Every month it's delayed is additional loss to our communities, and frustration among drivers, not only those that are directly impacted by the port, but those that are using our streets."

The legislation requires any funds recovered from insurance proceeds or as compensation for damages be used to reduce the federal government outlay. The current estimate to replace the bridge is $1.7 billion.

The Maryland Transportation Authority is evaluating proposals from design-build teams and expects to have a team chosen by mid- to late summer. Senators in the committee focused on safety upgrades to protect bridge piers against collisions from Neo-Panamax size ships such as the container ship Dali.

Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland transportation secretary, said designers will ensure pier protection.

"Whether it's through islands or actually moving the piers further apart," Wiedefeld explained. "If you put these piers much further apart, obviously, that's a natural protection. That'll be played out through the design as a high priority."

The bridge rebuild completion target is fall 2028.


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The Biden administration announced nearly $8 million in grants to improve public transportation, including a large and rural system in South Dakota, connecting people to critical services.

Prairie Hills Transit covers roughly the western third of the state and riders clock about 180,000 trips per year. It is receiving nearly $270,000 through a Federal Transit Administration pilot program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to improve transit for people with disabilities, older adults and low-income individuals.

Lisa Johnson, deputy director of Prairie Hills Transit, said the organization will use the funds to purchase a contactless payment system for riders, an upgrade from the wood tokens the system uses now.

"By going to a contactless payment technology, we're hoping to streamline it to improve the reliability of the rider's experience," Johnson explained. "They can manage their fare card and have an ongoing history of what they're paying."

Johnson noted it will streamline operations for the transit system, negating the need to manage tokens and cash checks from riders. The system sees a wide range of ridership, she added, including low-income people, people with disabilities, seniors, veterans and youth.

The new system will include an updated website to help riders plan trips in advance. Johnson noted in an area with scattered small communities, people use public transit to go back and forth between them.

"We have five communities that are within a 20-mile radius," Johnson pointed out. "I'm hoping to link those communities in a more efficient and timely manner."

Johnson emphasized Prairie Hills Transit plans to roll out its new system in about a year.


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