Miffed over leaked congestion pricing toll at George Washington Bridge, New Jersey lawmakers vow to continue fight
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. -- New Jersey drivers are none too pleased about the reported congestion pricing recommendations.
CBS New York spoke to the governor, other lawmakers and drivers on Thursday.
Many drivers in the Garden State already paying tolls to cross into Manhattan are angry about possibly being charged an extra $15 in congestion pricing.
"What they already charge is too much and now they are going to charge more. I think it's not fair for people to have to pay $20, $30 just to go into New York," James Bhikam said.
"I think it's horrible. It think it's too much," added Joe Lotto of Hudson County.
If you work five days a week and use the George Washington Bridge, in addition to the $17 you're already paying, you'd have to fork out the extra $15. That means $75 per week, $300 per month, adding up to almost $4,000 per year.
Some drivers said they'll head north above 60th Street, where there wouldn't be a congestion pricing toll.
"What it's going to do is drive me all the way up to the George Washington Bridge, which is already the most congested bridge in the United States," Jersey City resident David Hogan said.
"It's displacing pollution from Manhattan to northern Jersey, particularly around the George Washington Bridge, and it's ripping off New Jersey commuters to pay for whatever financial failings the MTA has," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.
Murphy said both sides had private mediations, but wouldn't say if New Jersey and New York were close to any deal.
READ MORE: Congestion pricing in NYC: Questions and answers
He offered the following message to commuters in his state:
"I am going to continue to fight like hell to make sure that this is a ... the deal we're going to finally end up with is going to be fair to them," Murphy said.
"The fact the MTA wants to stick it to Jersey families right now is outrageous," New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer said.
Gottheimer said he's ready to make sure the MTA is penalized if congestion pricing goes through.
"We've already introduced several pieces of bipartisan legislation to say if the MTA continues to move forward, as they plan to, they are going to lose the federal funding that they get," Gottheimer said.
Asked if he would have the support for something like that, the congressman said, "Not everybody, believe it or not, loves New York here in Washington D.C. and thinks it's outrageous how much money goes to them already."
New Jersey is suing the federal government and the governor said the state will consider further legal action.
