Congestion pricing, Stony Brook University president's departure

Congestion pricing is a bridge too far

Now that Gov. Kathy Hochul has indefinitely paused congestion pricing, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority should use the time to tinker with its contentious plan [“Taking sides with MTA and LIRR,” Letters, May 26], to address an unfair and deceptive “toll trap” that awaits motorists traveling between Queens-Long Island and upper Manhattan using the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. They will be tolled even though they don’t want to be in Manhattan south of 60th Street.

Leaving Manhattan on both levels, a vehicle will trigger a toll even if it originates north of 60th Street, outside the congestion zone. For example, a vehicle traveling southbound on Second Avenue to the 59th Street Queensboro Bridge lower deck is forced under the toll point just north of 60th Street, before leaving Manhattan. Thus, they will incur the toll even though they want to leave Manhattan. All Queens-bound traffic from north of 60th Street will be subject to this unfair toll, regardless of the bridge roadway used, even though their destinations are outside of the congestion zone.

The “toll trap” will also trigger entering Manhattan from the lower deck onto 60th Street to access one of the northbound avenues to travel uptown, outside the congestion zone. Manhattan-bound drivers on the upper deck exit at 62nd and 63rd streets, and thus avoid the congestion charge unless they turn south.

The solution to this anomaly is maddeningly simple: Move the congestion toll points four blocks south, to just north of 56th Street. Allow Queensboro Bridge drivers from uptown Manhattan to avoid the congestion toll. Now the MTA has more time to get this right.

— Andrew Sparberg, Oceanside

SBU prez ending with a positive move

My hat is off to outgoing Stony Brook University president Maurie McInnis for enforcing the law against the protesters who defied it [“SBU prez resigns,” News, May 30].

— Thomas Tierney, Greenlawn