Orange County Commuters Call for Better Train Services at Congestion Toll Public Forum

Cornwall resident and small business owner Gregg Paliotta spoke against the congestion toll at a public forum hosted by Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) in Cornwall, N.Y., on Feb. 17, 2024. Cara Ding/The Epoch Times

Several Orange County residents asked for more trains and more reliable services on the Metro-North Port Jervis line at a public forum in Cornwall on Feb. 17.

The forum was convened by Congressman Patrick Ryan (D-N.Y.) in the face of the nation’s first congestion toll set in Manhattan, which, if it takes effect as planned in spring, will charge an average passenger car commuter $15 per day for driving south of 60th Street.

Enacted by a 2019 state law, the toll aims to ease congestion in one of the busiest parts of the country while raising money for long-term public transit projects in the city.

Before moving to host his own public forum, Mr. Ryan had tried to get the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)—the agency tasked with designing and implementing the congestion toll program—to conduct public hearings in Hudson Valley.

MTA chief of staff Laura Wiles was present at the forum to listen to the public comments.

James McCarthy, a longtime Orange County resident and a lieutenant at the New York City Fire Department, noted his erratic schedule as a fireman and how the current train services failed to accommodate that.

“If I don’t get the 6:50 p.m. train, there is not a train for another hour, and then there is a two-hour span,” he said, noting that he must transfer to another train in New Jersey to get into Manhattan, which makes the commute even more difficult.

“If I am going to be forced to do public transportation, that adds the amount of time for me to commute back and forth—that is less time for my family and less time in my community.”

Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) (R) spoke against the congestion toll at a public forum in Cornwall, N.Y., on Feb. 17, 2024. Cara Ding/The Epoch Times

“This is what the MTA wants us to take instead of driving into the city,” a Cornwall resident said while holding up a schedule for the Port Jervis line. She said that when her husband took the train to the city on workdays, he would be 15 minutes late for work on a normal day and two hours late on a bad day. 

Another Cornwall resident, Gregg Paliotta, said that one of his acquaintances who used to take trains to the city recently switched to driving so that she could have more time with her newborn baby. 

Mr. Paliotta also noted the unintended economic impact of the congestion toll and that he might pull his technical services business out of New York City should the program render it too costly. 

“You are hurting businesses, you are hurting New York City, and you are hurting the people that bring the businesses and [jobs],” he said. “It is untenable, and you cannot do it.” 

Tom Lapolla, a Monroe resident and former battalion fire chief in midtown Manhattan, mentioned another unintended consequence in public services: Experienced police officers and firefighters would transfer out of the affected area whenever possible to avoid the toll. 

A Cornwall resident and union construction worker said he chose to drive to Manhattan on workdays to report to work on time and have more time for his two young children. 

“If [the congestion toll] does pass, can we get more trains?” he asked. 

Rendering of a proposed mast arm housing tolling infrastructure and tolling system equipment over the roadway at Broadway between 60th and 61st streets in New York City. Courtesy of MTA

Daniel Ortega, a representative of a regional operating engineers union covering New Jersey and five counties in New York, suggested that the MTA improve its cooperation with New Jersey Transit, which manages the Port Jervis line through a contract, and start rethinking infrastructure projects such as the Bergen Loop.

The Bergen Loop is a major part of a massive infrastructure proposal to bring to several New Jersey lines, as well as the Port Jervis line, the desired one-seat ride into New York City.

Mr. Ryan said at the forum that the MTA should consider exemptions for public service workers commuting to the city as well as infrastructure improvements on the Port Jervis line, including one-seat service in Orange County and more train services in Dutchess County.

“It is an important issue for our community for the Hudson Valley, and I think it is something that unites us as a community,” Mr. Ryan said, noting a bipartisan official presence at the forum.

Village of Cornwall-on-Huson Mayor James Gagliano, Town of Cornwall Supervisor Josh Wojehowski, Monroe Councilwoman Dorey Houle, New York Assemblyman Christopher Eachus, and Mike Anagnostakis, senior adviser to state Sen. James Skoufis, joined the forum in opposition to the toll.

Mr. Skoufis and other lawmakers representing Orange County joined a federal lawsuit early this month in the hope of halting the congestion toll on environmental grounds.

MTA Responds

MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan said in a statement to The Epoch Times that there were sufficient train services on the Port Jervis line, given six or seven trains separated by a span of less than 30 minutes during morning or afternoon rush hours, a service level similar to several regions on the east side of the Hudson River.

He said that the MTA remained committed to continued infrastructure improvements on all lines.

MTA chief of staff Laura Wiles speaks about the New York City congestion toll at a public forum in Cornwall, N.Y., on Feb. 17, 2024. Cara Ding/The Epoch Times

“The legislature passed the congestion pricing law four years ago to reduce gridlock, improve public health, and support mass transit,” Mr. Donovan said. “Since then, there have been thousands of pages of analysis and dozens of public meetings.

“We welcome Representative Ryan to the conversation.”

Last November, the five-member Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB) submitted its rate recommendations to the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, which then delivered a final toll proposal to the MTA.

Passenger cars are to be charged $15 for entering the central business district between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays or between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends; most vehicles enjoy night discounts.

The toll jumps to between $24 and $36 for trucks and buses; motorcycles are charged $7.50.

The TMRB had received several thousand requests for credits, discounts, and exemptions and applied the rule of “many over the few” in its considerations, according to the final report by the agency.

Crossing credits are granted for vehicles entering through four tunnels, certain discounts are available for qualified low-income drivers, and exemptions are granted for government vehicles for purposes such as pothole repairs, garbage pick-ups, and snow plowing.

The Middletown Train Station on the Metro-North Port Jervis line in the Town of Wallkill, N.Y., on June 17, 2023. Cara Ding/The Epoch Times

As for the congestion toll revenue, projected to be $1 billion every year, 80 percent of the remaining proceeds after the deduction of administrative expenses are planned to be put toward New York City public transit, with the rest equally split between Long Island and Metro-North railroads.

The MTA previously told The Epoch Times that the congestion toll income would help pay for the planned two new sidings on the Port Jervis line as part of the Metro-North Railroad.

How to Submit a Public Comment

The MTA scheduled four public hearings on three days—Feb. 29, March 1, and March 4—at 2 Broadway in New York City and will be livestreamed on the agency’s YouTube channel.

A complete congestion toll schedule can be viewed at new.MTA.info/document/129191.

The MTA is expected to vote on a final rate schedule after public hearings.

Orange County shares one vote with three other Hudson Valley counties on the 12-member MTA board; its seat has remained vacant since Deputy County Executive Harold Porr resigned from it in March 2023.

Besides attending public hearings, the public can also express their opinions on congestion toll rates until March 11 through an online form, email, mail, phone, or fax.

Online: contact.MTA.info/s/forms/CBDTP

Email: [email protected]

Mail: CBD Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004

Phone: [phone]

Fax: send to [phone] marked “Attention to CBDTP Team.”