The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), North America’s largest transportation network, recently outlined projects that are at risk due to lawsuits against congestion pricing.
“Congestion pricing is foundational to the MTA Capital Program,” Jamie Torres-Springer, MTA construction and development president, said. “With the lawsuits challenging the program, critical projects to maintain and improve our transit system and more than 20,000 jobs are at risk of delay or disruption.”
In MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Program, an anticipated $15 billion in congestion pricing bond proceeds make up more than 50 percent of funding. Congestion pricing funds support projects that would create a more efficient and sustainable transit system.
The lawsuits place much of the MTA Capital Program on hold and halts advertising nearly all new construction contracts. It affects bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and subway system projects. Only limited, urgent exceptions would are able to move forward.
Capital program projects support an estimated 57,400 jobs, 23,000 of which are at risk.
Putting projects on hold negatively impacts the economy, especially for minority-owned, women-owned and federally designated disadvantaged businesses and businesses owned by veterans disabled in the line of service.
The MTA paid $833 million to more than 500 different companies in these categories in 2023.