HEIMDVLLR t1_j9vjyer wrote on February 24, 2023 at 9:32 PM

What’s the end goal when the streets are empty and no one is driving into Manhattan?

I see Manhattan looking a lot like downtown Los Angeles and everyone sticking to the outer boroughs.

TeamMisha t1_j9w881j wrote on February 25, 2023 at 12:21 AM

> streets are empty

In the environmental assessment, they modeled traffic with a goal in 5% reduction in VMT and 10% reduction of vehicles entering the CBD toll zone. The goal is not, nor has it ever been, to evaporate traffic from the CBD, that would be impossible and nonsensical.

Source from the Regional Plan Association commenting on the EA: https://rpa.org/latest/testimony/congestion-pricing-mta-environmental-assessment See, first comment.

HEIMDVLLR t1_j9wjabc wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:45 AM

Data looks cool, but I would like to SEE how things actually look in places like London. Especially after they implement their next wave of congestion tolls for ULEZones.

TeamMisha t1_j9wk4md wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:52 AM

You can already see how their first implementation went, no? It's been in place since 2003. You can look back further as well, Singapore had a road pricing system circa 1998. Our system would be comparable to London's original implementation. Obviously the streets did not empty. I am not sure what else you would want to see or if you believe our implementation is somehow going to be vastly different?

nychuman t1_j9weasi wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:07 AM

I could cycle and walk without fear for my life, for starters.

HEIMDVLLR t1_j9wk72y wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:52 AM

Local Los Angeles residents can do that now downtown, but have you seen how desolate it looks? This is also true in a lot of cities with downtowns. People like to hangout in other areas of the city.

The empty streets will be cool at first, but then it will be just like it was during the pandemic, a lot of people will begin to avoid it and stick to areas more populated and lively.

nychuman t1_j9wknj5 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:56 AM

The streets would be filled with people instead dude… we have 400+ subway stations connecting our city and thousands of buses.

This isn’t LA.

HEIMDVLLR t1_j9x9rqm wrote on February 25, 2023 at 5:37 AM

You think not having an active subway system is what’s keeping people from downtown LA? Everyone drives there and the parking is cheap, yet they choose not to go downtown. The same will happen to Manhattan, just like every other city with a downtown.

You see the empty store fronts, there’s space available signs everywhere right?

Edit: The downvotes don’t mean shit when Manhattan is already suffering from people working from home. It’s gotten so bad, they have to convert empty office buildings into residential housing.