Nation's first congestion toll now active in Manhattan

MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- For many New Yorkers, Monday was the first day back to work following the holiday break, and for a swath of commuters, it was also the first time they paid the new congestion pricing toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.

On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed to closely study congestion pricing data, and make changes to the program, if needed.

"I am committed and the MTA is committed to intensely monitoring the trends, and if adjustments are necessary, to be willing to make those going forward," she said.

"Traffic is down today," but Hochul noted it is also snowing. "Today is the first day. I wouldn't count today, let's give it a few days to sink in and get a trend."

WATCH | NJ drivers discuss impact of congestion pricing on commute

New York City's new congestion pricing toll began on Sunday, meaning many people will pay $9 to access the busiest part of the Big Apple during peak hours.

The toll is meant to reduce traffic gridlock in the densely packed city while raising money to help fix its ailing public transit infrastructure.

Congestion toll chaos will push commuters to ditch their cars in northern Manhattan, outer boroughs: 'New park-and-ride'

TxDOT pushes forward on buyback of SH 288
Action would reduce average daily toll rates by 50%

Aug. 23, 2024

AUSTIN - To provide Texans with toll relief and more free lanes on which to drive, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is preparing to terminate the SH 288 Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA).

This action will place the SH 288 managed lanes in Harris County under full state control allowing future toll rates to be significantly less than what is allowed under the current agreement and enabling TxDOT to move ahead with adding more free lanes along SH 288.

“Building roads, reducing tolls, and saving taxpayer money are top priorities,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “All three are achieved with the Texas Department of Transportation terminating the SH 288 Comprehensive Development Agreement. It will allow the State of Texas to receive over $2 billion in added valuation. TxDOT will use the added value to slash future toll charges and to build free lanes on that segment of State Highway 288. I thank TxDOT for making it easier and cheaper for Texans to travel that route.”

TxDOT Toll Road $1.7 Billion Purchase Plan Draws More Complaints from Elected Officials, Candidates

Officials and candidates see the move as a form of double taxation.

• Kim Roberts
• Aug 22, 2024
• l The Texan

Texas Sues General Motors Over Collection and Sale of Private Driving Data

General Motors was allegedly compensated for the deals with lump-sum payments and royalties, some worth millions of dollars.

The State Highway 288 toll lanes were part of a public-private partnership agreement that was originally set to last 50 years.

Brandon Waltens | July 26, 2024 l Texas Scorecard

Updated with comment from TxDOT on 7/29

The Texas Department of Transportation is contemplating the purchase of a Houston-area toll road from a private developer, with potential plans to maintain the tolls for Texans.

This unique arrangement involves terminating an existing agreement this October, spending nearly $1.7 billion to acquire the already-built toll lanes on Highway 288, and taking over its management and operations.

Lawmakers turned to toll roads to boost the Texas economy and address population growth without raising taxes, but the consequences have adversely affected some drivers.

The Dallas Morning News - By Yamil Berard
May 13, 2024

Link to full article...
Dallas Morning News Interactives (For Subscribers)

Every day, thousands of drivers jump on toll roads to ease their commutes to work and school.

Toll roads overlook international bridges and crossings on the Texas-Mexico border, they connect drivers to airports all over the state and they circumnavigate urban cores by way of loops and tunnels.

Texas has so many toll roads that it has earned the distinction of building more miles than nearly all other states combined. Picture this: If you stretched the state’s 852 miles of toll roads across the eastern U.S., they would pass through 13 states — from Maine to South Carolina, a yearlong Dallas Morning News investigation has found.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Toll Trap is a three-day series exploring how the state's tollway system impacts drivers across the state. Our investigation found that Texas in the last 20 years has built more toll roads than almost all other states combined. The state also aggressively penalizes drivers with unpaid toll bills - even sending their cases to local courts every day. The state, unlike many others, also offers few discounts to drivers who feel entrapped by the toll roads that surround them. Investigative reporter Yamil Berard and data journalist Shuyao Xiao spent months examining Texas' tollway system. The journalists read thousands of pages of legislative reports, transportation studies, as well as financial statements and audits for toll roads operated by Texas' three largest toll agencies since 1998. They spoke with dozens of urban planning specialists, tollway advocacy groups, public policy researchers and mobility engineers and examined roadway and toll data from state and population density information. They filed and read reports from open records requests and attempted to speak to all 22 members of the House and Senate transportation committees along with Gov. Greg Abbott and other high-ranking current and previous elected state leaders.

EPA Issues ‘Strongest-Ever’ Auto Emissions Standards to Boost EVs

The regulations, according to the EPA, would cut 7.2 billion tons of carbon emissions through 2055 in addition to providing “nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society, including $13 billion of annual public health benefits due to improved air quality, and $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers.”

Biden’s EV mandate likely to severely limit how many conventional vehicles automakers can produce

Ford will need to build two fully electric F150s for every gas-powered F150. By 2032, the company will need to build four electric F150s for every gas-powered F150.

TxDOT ends agreement with private company overseeing Highway 288 toll lanes

The Kill Switch

John Stossel  |  Apr 17, 2024 l TownHall.com

A USA Today "fact check" told readers, don't worry, "There's no kill switch in Biden's bill."

"They didn't read it, because it's there!" says automotive engineer and former vintage race car driver Lauren Fix in my new video. The clause is buried under Section 24220 of the law.

Chairman Graves & Chairman Crawford Statement on Court Striking Down FHWA’s Illegal GHG Emissions Performance Measure Rule

Washington, D.C., March 28, 2024 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (202) 225-9446

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued a joint statement following a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that the Biden Administration exceeded its statutory authority by imposing a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions performance measure upon the states:

“This was a clear case of blatant overreach by the Biden Administration from the beginning, and we commend the Court for its ruling that a ‘federal administrative agency cannot act without congressional authorization.’  Congress rejected the inclusion of a GHG performance measure requirement when the infrastructure law was developed, making the Administration’s rulemaking an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country.  We appreciate the ruling and remain committed to ensuring the Administration does not exceed its authority.”

The 15-Minute Trap

Scientists Expose Major Problems With Climate Change Data

‘Climate activism has become the new religion of the 21st century—heretics are not welcome and not allowed to ask questions,’ said astrophysicist Willie Soon.

By Alex Newman Epoch Times, February 28, 2024

Temperature records used by climate scientists and governments to build models that then forecast dangerous manmade global warming repercussions have serious problems and even corruption in the data, multiple scientists who have published recent studies on the issue told The Epoch Times.

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) holds the same view, and its leaders are pushing major global policy changes in response.

But scientific experts from around the world in a variety of fields are pushing back. In peer-reviewed studies, they cite a wide range of flaws with the global temperature data used to reach the dire conclusions; they say it’s time to reexamine the whole narrative.

Link to article here.

Stop Your Car From Spying on You

Modern cars are smartphones on wheels, but with less protection for your data.

J.D. Tuccille |3.25.2024
Being proved right isn't always fun. Just weeks after my warning in the March issue that our modern high-tech cars are tracking us and sharing data with manufacturers, cops, and parties unknown, came a report of soaring auto insurance premiums because of snitching vehicles. The consequences get worse from there. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your snoopy ride from contacting the mothership.

Your Driving History May Be Transmitted and Stored

"Car companies are collecting information directly from internet-connected vehicles for use by the insurance industry," Kashmir Hill reported this month for The New York Times. "Sometimes this is happening with a driver's awareness and consent…. But in other instances, something much sneakier has happened."

AAA survey: most US drivers fear self-driving vehicles

(The Center Square) – AAA’s latest autonomous vehicle survey shows most U.S. drivers express either fear (66%) or uncertainty (25%) about fully-self-driving vehicles.

However, semi-autonomous technologies such as reverse automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assistance continue to drive consumer interest. 

"There has been an increase in consumer fear over the past few years," Director of Automotive Engineering Research for AAA Greg Brannon said in a statement. "Given the numerous and well-publicized incidents involving current vehicle technologies – it's not surprising that people are apprehensive about their safety.”

Appeals Court Sides With Taxpayers on Debt-Raising Constitutional Amendment

Brandon Waltens | Texas Scorecard | January 26, 2024

Link to article here.

Citizens are celebrating as a court sided with taxpayers this week on a constitutional amendment which was proposed in 2021 and would allow counties to issue more taxpayer-backed debt. In its ruling, the Court set a rule ensuring voters are entitled to more information when proposals will impact taxpayers.

Proposition 2, which passed with 63 percent of the vote, would authorize counties to issue bonds—taxpayer-backed debt—to fund infrastructure and transportation projects in underdeveloped, unproductive, or blighted areas and to use increases in property taxes from those areas to pay off the debt. This is known as “tax increment financing” and is a tool currently reserved for cities.

Grassroots groups filed a lawsuit alleging the Proposition 2 ballot language that was put before voters failed to comply with common law requirements and was substantially misleading because it neglected to inform voters that the proposal involved debt and property taxes.

Courts have previously ruled that ballot propositions must be described with “such definiteness and certainty that the voters are not misled.” But the Proposition 2 language only said it would allow counties to “finance development,” and it neglected to mention debt or taxes.

View the article...

The 7th Court of Appeals issued its opinion in favor of the contest, which could void the election.

• By Kim Roberts, The Texan, January 26, 2024

Link to article here.

Challenge to 'Misleading' 2021 Texas Ballot Proposition Continues on Appeal

Grassroots groups have challenged the validity of the ballot language.

Watch the video interview here.

Grassroots Fight Back Against Debt-Raising Constitutional Amendment

Brandon Waltens | January 10, 2024

Link to article here.

Biden's EV Plan Faces Opposition From Thousands of Car Dealers

An open letter was signed by more than 3,800 dealerships across the country.

By Jack Phillips
Epoch Times
November 28, 2023

Several thousand car dealership owners around the United States have signed an open letter to the Biden administration, saying they oppose the aggressive push for electric vehicles, in another sign of growing concerns about the market for EVs.