Split Tolling on the Verrazzano Press Conference

Excited to talk about some split toy okay first off. I just wanna thank you extraordinary people behind me for being here First of all my colleagues in Congress are real leaders in Congress. Gary Average media blast to folks who are working on this close state Senator Brian Cavanaugh, Assembly men you know body or knows his way some woman, Joan Silence in Councilman Justin Brandon City Councilwoman Margaret I also wanna give a shout out to my friend and chairman Pat Boy Who's Baby hopeful that the city is going in the right direction Yet you took a bus down here to pick with me in my office, recently So I think he understands what we're dealing with here we're here to announce that after more than 25 years of Representatives gathered blossoms and I have reached an agreement to Rein implement Squint Toll lane on the verrazano bridge So instead of $19.01 Way and nothing, the other the toll will be split and paid Both directions with all local resident discount staying in place this tone will allow us to address serious issues base everyday in the city and all Need another set because if there's one thing, my constituents, Don't need it's higher tolls switch tolling Huge achievement, not just for Staten Island, not just for South for all New York City But most importantly, for me It's a huge win for us right here Decades ago. That's How we make sense Absolutely we cannot reduce congestion and spa I hope I don't buy em but but this is not This is outdated and outdated as can be out of state folks are using the oneway toll to sneak into Manhattan and leave without paying a dime while the rest of us get hammered every single Day Not only are they cheating the system but these trucks are clogging up our expressway and making a Worse with my colleagues in government we're gonna, put an end to this once and for all and That's, not all by bringing back split toy we're gonna, see traffic improvements on Staten Island highways and roadways by eliminating the incentive to shop through Manhattan or avoid pain affair by driving through Staten Island GM will see revenue increase which could be used to fund capital projects that will stand out to around the city now Closeout That's put its very simple words for a long long time Staten Island and South Brooklyn has been ripped off when it comes to our transportation system and we're not getting ripped off we're getting ignored Well. Today is the beginning of a different story today's day of a story where the M in the city and the state invest in this borough and invest in southwest the best buses investing Critical critical element of that the day will be, including us making a commitment to include us include our interest in the 20 2020 to 2020 - four capital plan. And with that It's, my honor to introduce Worked on this friendly long time You very much max and working on this issue for more than two decades I'm very proud to stand today with my colleagues in Congress representative Alaska's representative Max Rose As we announced federal legislation to finally restore split, falling on the very Southern Narrows bridge restoration of total selections in both directions And that means in both directions near Beach Doesn't mean Using electronic totally that does not require stops in closet will greatly improve traffic and congestion in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan were also capturing vital new funding m from out of state trucks will no longer be able to avoid and avoid a toe entering New York City by a stat miles we're going to escape charges in the Hudson River Bridge and Russians All New York is weak, the benefits of the restoration of spit tall collection new Additional revenue for the and fewer trucks on the Staten Island Expressway Expressway Manhattan Bridge and Canal streets in Norman hat finally it's important to note that in conjunction with this announcement the empty as agreed to seek strategic investments and Mass transit for the residents of South Brooklyn and Staten Island. From the next capital plan I wanna thank Chairman Pathway for working with us on reducing congestion in New York City I'm committing to provide Improvements for the communities South Brooklyn is that night Thank you chairman. Another now this fine great honor to introduce my dear friend and an incredible leader chairwoman less Good morning Everyone Leadership Because it does and let me recognize the incredible efforts This issue has been important Chairman For residents of New York Seventh Congressional District My constituents The one way toys system has essentially commercial traffic trucks across Southern Island The fuck is the one way was an ideal 80 S solution to a Collecting one way is no longer Now It's simply historic commercial drivers incentives Congestion and air quality here, you started Islam also across the bridge We members of Congress Today on the true medical day empty Neighborhood spinning stuff and I was just looking China Town The entrance of their old The change will benefit thousands of New Yorkers every And having the joint In this one make it the right thing to do For my district this is even more pressing given the word that is being blown Part of the country which has suffered some of the most interest structure damage from Charles that are seeking to get around Now our next step is getting the legislation legislation of the by the Appropriations Committee Sam We will be able to get this done and so this decades old woman and I would like to also recognize our elected official officials over here on the city Council to the same understanding thank you Lastly Boy out here to Staten Island to say something about his leadership this guy is taking public transportation He is working tirelessly and his entire team day in day out and we are certainly starting to see the results and it is gonna be great to hear about the way that They're gonna bring some of these results over here to Staten Island and South Brooklyn With that chairman I thank you for Rose. Thank you for the kind words, but more importantly, thank you for your leadership together with we're here today. Thanks for inviting each of you is a staunch advocate for your constituents, and I wanna thank you to each and I also want to recognize the appearance today of Senator Capital Council member The antidote is very pleased to be here supporting this Split totally on Arizona Narrows Bridge and I wanna thank the elected officials for the Revelers will reduce congestion here on Staten Island in Brooklyn As you know our policy on Arizona Reasonable action and That's. What we're seeing today and why removing this federal prohibition and rationalizing access for the city split tolling on the Arizona Health conjunction will create congestion in Staten Island in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan especially around the streets It will also balance the current one way tolling system to make it fair for Staten Islanders and help reason provide revenue for our next closing the relatively little He has been laser focused on making public transit better for that whether It's improving bus service or making four ways than public transit here on Staten Island The good news is that we're seeing results already and we have a lot of clean In fact, we're investing nearly half a billion dollars in the current capital plan that runs through the end of next year 2020 to improve our service staff that includes first the bus network redesign that began on Staten Island that has helped us increase bus beads by 12 percent while making them Reliable direct I actually is Congressman Rose mentioned I cook the 70 - One Express bus too, as well for several weeks ago was a great ride. I commended anybody who wants to commute between lower Manhattan instead mile we've also speed it up speed by 30 percent, which is an extraordinary achievement. Thanks to Andy Viper and Steve on the tunnels by working with our colleagues at the VA in New York City Department of Transportation for Policy tried to implement plus wings and few Direct traffic we started the planning process of North Shore Bus rapid Transit group for which will begin the environmental process short and we're planning for a nutrient near the Saint George Ferris the purchasing brand new subway cars for Staten Island Railway which will be delivered next year 2020 providing the railway with the newest cars and the system finally we're providing Staten Island buses of course, their system to be deployed with the new on the digital payment system, which would Increased bus Beach and pay with your phone Apple watching such instead of Metropark Sweeting, the boarding process faster and don't worry. You'll always be able to use a metro card or card or cash to be able to get on the bus now going forward, which is important to all of us and especially the conversations I had with Congressman rose what's ahead So in the 2022 24 Capital Plan which revenue from split tolling will help support We also plan to make additional major for We anticipate this first in the shadow of the Arizona Bridge let's talk about this bridge major upgrades to the verrazano Narrows Bridge, including continuing the reconstruction of the Preparing a lower level main span repaired or replaced repaired, steel and concrete and replacing the lower deck and under deck Second improving accessibility to the snarling railroad by providing accessibility upgrades to an additional three stations as well as patient replacing miles of rail for school Buying buses for Leslie Howard, Staten Island with amenities like digital screens, wifi and charging an additional power classic infrastructure additional substations power needed facilities to keep the railways and buses moving it will be plenty of water We've got lots of exciting developments happening right now in the works from Staten Island and will split toe help make reality with that we're happy to Your questions Specific But she generally I know my colleagues as well we'd love to speak to the effects that they've seen in their actual districts playing in simple. This is a rocket science, okay it's free to go over one side of the verrazano and plenty of commercial vehicles as well as passenger vehicles take advantage of that and then they don't come back this way they go out Woman hat back into Jersey and what that does is produces incredibly distorted traffic patterns in this district especially on the expressway and all the Dvd We see far more vehicles in the morning hours and then the afternoon hours then we otherwise should incredible traffic Congestion as well as environmental concerns produced that with that I just mentioned that especially trucks, so they're coming in from New Jersey coming over the Arizona Bridge Brooklyn Pano Toe Where everything going along Island Be back here and grab the downtown Brooklyn Increasing traffic congestion That's cross over on the East River Bridges no toilet to to lower Manhattan square traffic in lower Manhattan and then cross the Hudson So by going An effective one way one way here You can do a free trip as long as you're willing to add your little part of the burden to Manhattan Brooklyn and Staten Island and That's we're gonna stop And while we stop that, we can get more revenue which can be used for things like well, the stand down movement You explain the next steps We have to right it was 1986 legislative It simply said Two way to simply said he told the Arizona Bridge should be one direction only specify the direction We should be able to feel that Max will introduce it Only be happy, whatever, he told us this is split Split squad tattoo away. Okay. I cannot emphasize this enough This will not add one sin We'll start down reasons today 550 that Tony is not impressed Of course, It's, not born Staten Island residents were fighting on other fronts to make sure that specific zip codes in in Brooklyn especially those who are community leader with Staten Island also get some relief on this but this issue of sweat tolling will not affect those costs Not for you Not for not for those cameras The other way sweat shirt With the downtown of Linus, we wanna know what's going on It's our businesses I don't just The guy is really unfair Is there an estimate on how much money Yeah, so what We've seen from studies is Adam Million a year and there's been other estimates that are much higher Now we are realistic about that okay Then when You're talking about members of Congress coming out here to propose something It's rare that you propose something that helps people and brings more money back to the system without taxi folks for so, this is an unbelievable opportunity unbelievable and incredible benefits Our communities remember this winning 70 guys Flooding divorces This Hills and the quality of life in our current system is sacrifice is right when it was actually happening S I think it will be Within 12 months is obviously not a construction that needs to be done We've been talking with congressman staff about how to bloody clinic It depends on the passage of the legislation, but I would You need to give some explanation about the congressional action like why did to get an actual Like the one, which will link so, obviously, now, we need another special Do that important fixture question of why Congress intervene in this in the first place It's, very rare for there to be a piece of federal legislation, will lady to a local transportation matter But we are where we are right now and this is a problem that people are facing not only here. But throughout New York City and Congress is stepping in to something Just at 1986 times expressed legislation to mandate runway, totally it's, one of only two instances where I know in the country where local transportation people were told what to do The other instance was kind to send back a few years later founded the local Washington Priority is renamed National Airport That order, so we can do what is rational and makes sense in New York You take it from the business Anybody else from the press you can use one down with a it's $19 for what is it for the U Stand on residents pay $5 per one focus and that will be one nation We're not seeing anything changing It's understand 550 rounds And what is It's 12 Get the exactly Thank you for standing down T you are what you want to collect more tools We understand that but we have lost a ton of business along division record, or for on those who are multi axial trucks going to New Jersey I guess for doing what exactly what was done My question is when you collect them The additional tools we need relief in Staten Island not just the residents but the small businesses because we're economically disenfranchised that we do not have the ability to have trucks come of your Work out of Staten Island and Can't be on government contracts because our toll bros on higher So could you make the commitment to ensuring that the additional funds will go to reduce the toe and not to continue each year The you know the ridiculous circus we have protesting and you raise it You heard the saying in my remarks there is no doubt that Staten Island and South Brooklyn Anthony Gord and for a long time It's, part of the significance of today we have the chairman himself and other members of Congress coming to this world come to this congressional district to talk about increasing investment in transportation and infrastructure. It's incredibly wanna talk about decreasing the toll 98 three because prison investment We Didn't get a walkway as we require them. So what I'm trying to tell you is that this entire story that we're trying to tell today It's about easing the burden on businesses As well as commuters as well as workers the total burden is part Of course It's gonna reduce the Better air quality It is gonna result in Truckers now or They will pay their fair share that will generate revenue And fun, some of the things that I thought about so giving an investment story going around Billion dollars and an entire amount of the 20 As you will great jobs and Staten Island throughout the region thanks to russia's leadership Thank you S S S