Park Slope Civic Council Endorses Congestion Pricing...With Conditions

The Park Slope Civic Council voted unanimously last night to endorse Mayor Bloomberg's groundbreaking--and controversial--congestion pricing plan. The civic group added its voice of support on the same day that the plan to charge a fee for driving into the most congested parts of Manhattan during peak weekday hours was endorsed by Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the Bush Administration indicated that hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation funding would come the city's way if the plan is approved. The Civic Council discussion was polite, particularly when compared to the shouting that greeted a proposal to put bike lanes and other traffic calming measures on Ninth Street. The group made its "strong support" of congestion pricing contingent on a plan for residential parking permits, upgraded subway service for the neighborhood and immediate commitments of funding to improve subway stations and signals.