Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich was joined Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) and local officials as he announced a federal class-action lawsuit over the congestion pricing plan for New York City.
The lawsuit against the federal government, Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, alleges the plan to charge drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street up to $23 will increase pollution and traffic for residents in north Jersey, especially Fort Lee, where the entrance to the George Washington Bridge is located.
The suit was filed jointly by Sokolich and Richard Galler, a Fort Lee resident. It contends the Federal Highway Administration “failed to consider the safety and well-being” of neighboring states and failed to conduct a thorough environmental review.
The Murphy administration sued the MTA in July in an effort to halt congestion pricing.
Gottheimer said at the announcement Wednesday the MTA is giving more than $130 million to the Bronx to mitigate air pollution arising from congestion pricing, but none to New Jersey.
“Not a nickel to Jersey, not a nickel for environmental or health impacts, not a nickel to mitigate traffic,” Gottheimer said. “You think they’d be worried about our children. Apparently not. They’re moving ahead and instead spreading their hush money to buy off the Bronx and elsewhere because they know what they’re doing is wrong.”
