Eliminating Pollution And Cars In NYC

Bloomberg's plan to implement congestion pricing for Manhattan has sparked much debate since he unveiled the idea. Studies have shown that the areas with the most vehicle-trips into the city come from expected areas, such as eastern Queens, lower Staten Island and southern Brooklyn. The odd one out though, is the Upper East Side. The richest and also highly dense section of Manhattan has over 7,000 residents who drive to work daily.

Those cars add considerably to the traffic, the congestion and the carbon monoxide output on the island. Eight dollars a day might not do much to their pocketbooks while residents of the outer burroughs are going to be hit harder. Some UES'ers might switch to mass transit, but we'll see if it comes to be if and when congestion pricing is implemented. Commuters that take the heavily traveled Lex line worry that crowding on the train will get even worse, especially since it is the only line on the Eastside. The Second Avenue subway would help, but who knows if that will ever be built.

As an almost daily rider of the Lex local, my opinion is let them come on down. If it helps the environment in and around the city, then I won't mind the extra riders. Manhattan is a unique city in the United States where cars are really unnecessary. I was glad to give my car up to come to New York, so the natives that do sit in traffic shouldn't mind it too much to do their part.