On Monday, the City Council approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congrestion pricing plan. That means we are one step closer to easing gridlock, raising funds for mass transit and improving our air quality. The proposal will now go to Albany, but approval of the plan is not a sure thing.
It is time for NYU to take a stand and support congestion pricing. It fits perfectly into its expansion plan and greening philosophies.
Congestion pricing would require most motorists driving into the city below 60th Street to pay an $8 fare, which encourages people to use mass transit. As NYU continues it's environmentally conscious push, it makes sense that the administration would want to promote a plan that would involve reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The tolls would go to MTA expansion funds, which means public transportation will hopefully be more reliable, quicker and accessible. And the best part: more subways and buses.
Right now, a Second Avenue subway line does not exist. It has been talked about for two decades, but the MTA never got around to building it. Keep that in mind as we direct your attention to the Medical Center campus around 23rd Street and First Avenue.
Currently, there are two undergraduate dorms as well the NYU Medical Center and School of Dentistry in that area. Next year, NYU's new dorm, Gramercy Green, will be on 23rd Street and Third Avenue. And there have been talks of acquiring the Hunter College campus on 25th Street and First Avenue. This East Side campus is necessary because we have run out of room in Village. However, there is one downfall to this area: There are few subway lines nearby.
Remember the Second Avenue line we talked about? Congestion pricing would provide much-needed funding to the MTA, making a Second Avenue subway line much more viable. This line would not only make this East Side campus much more appealing to students, but it would allow those living off-campus to consider apartment options in Kips Bay and Murray Hill.
In general, it is important for the administration to lobby for policies that would improve our students' quality of life. In New York City, the commute is always a looming concern for students on a budget, so improving the mass transit system would only help us.
We know NYU doesn't like to get involved in city politics, but we feel this is a plan that could drastically improve the quality of life for not only NYU students, but all New Yorkers.
All the stars have aligned, and they say one thing: NYU, support congestion pricing.
