Lawsuits galore
Lower Manhattan is quite possibly the most transit-rich piece of land in the western hemisphere. Rockland county has multiple train stations and park and ride facilities (dispersed throughout the small county) that feed directly into the city.
I’m absolutely convinced the people crying about “equity” and “unconstitutional discrimination” are people who have no idea what those words actually mean and just don’t feel like taking a train or bus.
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I’m sure they have convenient access to transit but refuse because “personal freedom” or whatever bs these detractors of this kind of stuff try to cook up to try and justify driving everywhere despite there being abundant transit options.
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I think it is rooted in self centeredness.
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The pattern in London was it became a status symbol to drive in the congestion zone.
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Unfortunately, this will not go direct to the US Supreme Court, as it is not a suit between the states (over which the high court has original jurisdiction). It’s taking the slow route to SCOTUS.
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At this point, i think the best chance congestion pricing has is if Steve Fulop wins next year’s NJ gubernatorial race. He’s openly supportive of it because he understands basic transportation principals.
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Oh I’m sure NJ will use the money to mitigate the “effects” of the toll and not divert it to expand their highways. 
There should be a stipulation that the money should go to NJ Transit but I know that probably wouldn’t pass legal muster.
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I had the misfortune of riding NJ transit last year and was shocked at how dated the interior of the trains looked. It was like riding in a train from way before my time. They certainly need the money, but that’s for another topic of discussion.
Why? Why would you want to mitigate “impacts”? The impacts are the entire point. You want the impacts.
Tbf those were probably the arrow 3 electric units, which aren’t the majority of the fleet anymore. They’re definitely dated looking but they can run without a diesel locomotive and there’s institutional knowledge on how to maintain them so NJT’s approach to them has been “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” since replacing rolling stock is wildly expensive if it’s not an absolute necessity.
That being said, they’re systematically being replaced by comet v cars and NJT has a contract with Bombardier to develop a similar, self-propelled version of the multi-level cars already in use.
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It would make more sense to divert it to PATH but that might stir up legal debate as well.
Ideally, that’s what “mitigating impacts” looks like: investing on the Jersey side to give drivers more alternatives to get into Manhattan. Could come in the form of more connecting bus services, first/last-mile street improvements, increased frequencies, 24-hour service, expanding park-and-ride facilities, etc.
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Let’s be real. NJT likely still hasn’t got the message about FRA requirements being changed to allow for trains not needing to be bricks and even the new Multilevel IIIs yet to be introduced are looking dated and are essentially stainless steel bricks. NJT should look to what Caltrans are doing and getting modern trains that don’t look dated or even CTRail who’s new cars while more conservative in design, aren’t absolutely ugly. CTRail’s are also from Alstom, who is building NJ Transit’s equipment.
Oh and we all know any money NJ is getting from congestion pricing is 1000% going to end up funding the much-despised Newark Bay Extension widening project, not NJ Transit whose fares are being hiked and desperately needs the cash.
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ugh…I know you’re right. I can feel it deep in my bones. My only hope is Steve Fulop gets elected governor and cancels that shit.
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I hope he turns the state into a development monster. He is a big YIMBY person. If what he has done to Jersey City can translate to the whole state of NJ… very good times for the Garden State. 
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