🎁 Tolls, Trains & Transit Trivia: Welcome to Edition #11 of the BOMA-NY Transportation Report 🗞️
December 2023 | BOMA-NY Codes & Regs Committee
Just in time for the holidays, the BOMA-NY Transportation Report is back — stuffed with policy shifts, subway milestones, fire safety flare-ups, and one kangaroo that got a little too wild for Canada.
As commercial property managers gear up for year-end foot traffic, gridlock days, and delivery delays, this month’s report breaks down the infrastructure and regulatory updates that matter most. From congestion pricing debates to vintage subway rides and noise cameras that may finally silence late-night revvers, we’ve got your December digest ready to unwrap.
In this issue:
🚦 Congestion pricing goes official — $15 for cars, $36 for trucks, and zero exemptions for NYPD or MTA staff
🚧 MTA under fire (again) for IOUs, backroom bloat, and budgeting blues
🏢 Penn Station’s new entrance debuts — with light, air, and yes, working escalators
🔥 E-bike battery fires claim more lives as FDNY ramps up pressure
🔊 Noise cameras arrive to battle NYC’s midnight muffler madness
🚗 EV adoption stalls, even as NJ bans new gas car sales by 2035
🚶 Daylighting hits intersections, aiming to fix the nation’s deadly pedestrian patterns
🛤️ PATH commits $230M to delay fixes, but still can’t talk to OMNY
🧦 Transit fashion is real: NJ Transit now sells ugly holiday sweaters
And if that’s not enough, we’ve got a fried rice mystery at Union Square, a singing werewolf reference, and a kangaroo that literally punched a Canadian cop.
📍Seasonal stress? We’ve got the data, insight, and deadpan you need to stay ahead of what’s moving — and breaking — across NYC transit and infrastructure.
— Glenn Waldorf
Transportation Subcommittee Chair
Bell Environmental Services
📞 973-575-7800
✉️ info @ bellenv.com
🗞️ BOMA-NY Transportation Report – December 2023 Summary
Prepared by Glenn Waldorf, Bell Environmental Services
🚦 Congestion Pricing: MTA Approves Final Framework
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$15 toll for cars entering Manhattan south of 60th St during peak hours.
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Trucks pay $24–$36, motorcycles $7.50, taxis $1.50, Ubers/Lyfts $2.50.
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Tunnel users receive partial credits (up to $5 for cars, $20 for large trucks).
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No exemptions for NYPD or MTA employees, sparking protests from civil servants.
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Mayor Adams voiced concern for working-class New Yorkers, asking for fairness between “convenience” drivers and those with urgent needs.
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Final vote will follow 60-day public comment period.
🚇 MTA: Public Skepticism & Spending Concerns
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Newsday reported the LIRR issued 100,000 IOUs worth $1.4M, collecting just $60K.
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$1B budget overrun flagged in East Harlem Second Avenue Subway expansion.
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Critics highlight oversized backroom areas and “non-pedestrian” spending as congestion pricing revenue approaches.
🏢 Penn Station: New Entrances, Natural Light
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@Amtrak and @Vornado unveiled a fully renovated 7th Ave/32nd St entrance, with:
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50% wider footprint
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Natural light and air into concourse
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ADA upgrades and escalator access.
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🔥 E-Bikes: Fire Risk Grows
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Two more deadly fires this month — one in a Bronx NYCHA building killed one and injured a dozen.
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FDNY continues push for stricter regulation and retailer accountability.
🔊 Noise Cameras Coming to NYC
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NYC to roll out noise cameras targeting vehicles exceeding 85 decibels.
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Modeled after successful Paris program, aimed at curbing excessive traffic noise and improving livability.
🎄 Fifth Ave & Holiday Traffic Alerts
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Fifth Avenue closed to cars Dec 17, 12–6PM, from 48th to 59th St.
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Movable barriers remain up throughout the holiday season between 48th and 52nd.
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DOT’s Gridlock Alert Days in effect for Midtown.
🚗 Electric Vehicle (EV) Adoption Lagging
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Despite 1M EVs sold in 2023, adoption is slower than expected:
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EVs have 80% more reported problems than gas cars (Consumer Reports).
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Plug-in hybrids scored even worse.
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Barriers: reliability concerns, high cost, limited charging infrastructure.
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NJ announced a ban on new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
🚊 PATH System Woes & Improvements
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PATH investing $230M in infrastructure upgrades to reduce delays.
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Criticism over new contactless payment system being incompatible with MTA’s OMNY, despite same vendor developing both.
🚶 Pedestrian Safety & “Daylighting”
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NYC promoting “Daylighting” — placing large concrete blocks near intersections to improve visibility.
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U.S. pedestrian deaths at night far exceed other developed nations, highlighting urgency of safety reforms.
🅿️ Parking Reform & Experiments
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A viral Twitter thread outlines the inefficient use of parking spaces.
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Includes links to the Parking Benefit District Playbook, research, and reform resources.
🚇 Vintage Holiday Train Rides
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NYC Transit Museum offers R9 car nostalgia rides every Saturday in December. Just swipe a MetroCard or OMNY to board.
🧦 NJ Transit “Ugly Sweater” Merch Drop
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In a twist of transportation fashion, NJ Transit released holiday-themed shirts as stocking stuffers. Limited quantities, lots of spirit.
🐾 And Finally: Kangaroo in Canada
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Police in Ontario chased and caught an escaped kangaroo that punched a cop. No word yet on whether it’s headed to “kangaroo court”
