Congestion pricing will destroy broadway — Page 4

Penna2 said: "SeanD2 said: "No it won't. And people need to learn to take public transportation."

Small problem with that is the violence taking place on the subways. More people are driving because of the crime."

GTFO with this fear-mongering bs

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Penna2 said: "SeanD2 said: "No it won't. And people need to learn to take public transportation."

Small problem with that is the violence taking place on the subways. More people are driving because of the crime."

GTFO with this fear-mongering bs"

Agreed. I know personally several people who drive to Manhattan every day although there's perfectly reliable and safe Metronorth. The common quality of these people is that they are afraid of their own shadow and think it's beneath them to use public transport. I have no sympathy for them.

There is a population of working class people who live in areas not served well by public transit- much of Staten Island, parts of New Jersey and Long Island, or the outer parts of Queens and Brooklyn who do regularly drive into the city for work. It's just a question of how large that population is and how much an additional $45 for a 5-day work week affects them. Frankly, although it's certainly worse than no cost at all, that cost also seems small enough to me that if it's breaking someone's bank then there other massive problems with their finances.

Updated On: 1/6/25 at 06:10 PM

I spend a lot of time reading the posts on BW and enjoying or being frustrated by them. I VERY rarely poat.

But I was in NYC this weekend for three shows, and we take a cab from our place to the theater each time. Yesterday we experienced congestion pricing for the first time. It added SEVENTY FIVE CENTS to the bill. Or put another way -- I wouldnt have even noticed it except that there is a popup on the screen for the rider to see. (Just like when you go across the bridge -- except that's almost $6 -- each way). There is also an extra charge when you go into or leave the airport. And within the last few years the price of the cab itself increased a lot. (And, of course, anyone who drives into the city knows that parking isnt free.)

Considering how crowded everything was in the theater district with tourists all the way down to the 42nd Street library and in all the restaurants, I respectfully suggest that very few folks who pay Broadway prices, and the cost of a museum, or a meal -- ($19 for a glass of Pinot Noir? -- that's what we paid) -- will care. (And the cab drivers are hoping you will increase your tip based on the total cost, including all the extras).

And dont get me started on the costs of the World Series or the US Open or all the other events in the city. But ALL of those events are sold out right away -- and there are lots of people who would pay if they could find a ticket. Just ask Ticketmaster and StubHub.

Put another way -- I flew into NYC, and saw Eureka Day, Gypsy and Suffs. For my wife and me that was $1700 in theater tickets. Judging by the SRO crowds, I'll guess I wasnt the only one willing to support theater. YES, it's gotten expensive -- My parents used to take me to see shows using 'twofers' which my dad wouid pick up on the counter at the Automat. Five bucks and I got to see a lot of stuff from the backrow. And there's a lot of stuff we can discuss to make Broadway more accessible (and desireable) to more and more people. But please -- it wont be the 75 cents added to the cab ride.

Please dont forget that part of the 'plan' is to use this new pot of money to fix the subway system -- something that is long overdue, as every NYer knows. NYC is changing -- gonna be more tourists and fewer office workers. Can it survive? Not sure yet -- but I'm rooting hard.

Kad said: "There is a population of working class people who live in areas not served well by public transit- much of Staten Island, parts of New Jersey and Long Island, or the outer parts of Queens and Brooklyn who do regularly drive into the city for work. It's just a question of how large that population is and how much an additional $45 for a 5-day work week affects them. Frankly, although it's certainly worse than no cost at all, that cost also seems small enough to me that if it's breaking someone's bank then there other massive problems with their finances.

"

If those people can afford exorbitant parking fees in downtown Manhattan area, I'm sure $45 a week is not an issue. Everywhere in NJ and especially Long Island you can park your car and take Metronoth, NJ transit or LIRR. There's no excuse. Cars kill and injure far more new Yorkers than violent individuals on subway.

Matt Rogers said: "
I take the subway at least twice a day, Monday through Friday and sometimes on weekends. My commute time is roughly thirty minutes each way. I see a loud argument or fight break out at least twice a week, sometimes more. There are regularly very shady characters roaming around, and often a homeless person sleeping across an entire row of seats. Recently, one of t hem pulled down their pants and took a crap right in the middle of the train. Needless to say that the train was quickly taken out of service and all passengers were kicked off and had our commutes disrupted. There is talk of subway violence on practically every newscast with reports of people getting pushed, stabbed, etc. So the arrogance of some people on here crying “fear mongering” and labeling people “pussies” is truly repulsive."

And I do the exact same thing every day 30 minutes on the train twice a day for work. In addition to being on them at random hours of the night 2, 3, 4, 5:00 in the morning. Ive been here for a year and half at this point. I've witnessed one altercation that had nothing to do with me. Other than that... yeah homeless people are on the train. Is this some sort of new phenomenon? Honestly...

You're describing a small uptick of violence in the city and on the Subway that have otherwise been on steady decline for decades and is back on the decline so yeah... you're playing into the news cast's fear mongering because that's what they do... fear generates viewership. It is always in their best interest to do so.

I work with countless people who live in Jersey, The Bronx, deep Queens and some of them do drive. You know what they do? Drive to a Park and Ride, and then take a train.

I looked up the statistics. According to The New York Post, there were 10 killings on the subway in 2024. However, the New York Times reports that there were 251 traffic fatalities in NYC last year, including 119 pedestrians. The subway is actually the safest transportation available.

TheatreFan4 said: "Matt Rogers said: "
I take the subway at least twice a day, Monday through Friday and sometimes on weekends. My commute time is roughly thirty minutes each way. I see a loud argument or fight break out at least twice a week, sometimes more. There are regularly very shady characters roaming around, and often a homeless person sleeping across an entire row of seats. Recently, one of t hem pulled down their pants and took a crap right in the middle of the train. Needless to say that the train was quickly taken out of service and all passengers were kicked off and had our commutes disrupted. There is talk of subway violence on practically every newscast with reports of people getting pushed, stabbed, etc. So the arrogance of some people on here crying “fear mongering” and labeling people “pussies” is truly repulsive."

And I do the exact same thing every day 30 minutes on the train twice a day for work. In addition to being on them at random hours of the night 2, 3, 4, 5:00 in the morning. Ive been here for a year and half at this point. I've witnessed one altercation that had nothing to do with me. Other than that... yeah homeless people are on the train. Is this some sort ofnew phenomenon? Honestly...

You're describing a small uptick of violence in the city and on the Subway that have otherwise been on steady decline for decades and is back on the decline so yeah... you're playing into the news cast's fear mongering because that's what they do... fear generates viewership. It is always in their best interest to do so.

I work with countless people who live in Jersey, The Bronx, deep Queens and some of them do drive. You know what they do? Drive to a Park and Ride, and then take a train."

As someone who lives in Jersey-if I am going to midtown I drive to a park and ride then take a bus. The problem is going anywhere else generally sucks by transit especially working in theatre and often working late or seeing theatre. I think it’s absurd that all of Manhattan south of 60th gets the toll. I’d understand midtown but I feel like you should be able to get to the lower East side without having to pay the toll.

JasonC3 said: "Mike66 said: "And dont get me started on the costs of the World Series or the US Open or all the other events in the city. But ALL of those events are sold out right away -- and there are lots of people who would pay if they could find a ticket. Just ask Ticketmaster and StubHub."

The US Open has been a client for years and it most definitely does not sell out in entirety, let alone right away. SOME select matches/ticket blocks some years do sell out, but even for those, resale tickets almost always are available, albeit at ridiculous prices much of the time.

"

I stand corrected -- what sells out are the Courtside and Loge seats -- and 95%+ sell out to subscribers (who pay in February for the event in September). As a season ticket holder since the 1990s, I have seen how prices keep going up and up -- and how no matter how much USTA raises the prices, they still get re-sold for much higher prices.

My point was merely that everything has gone up in cost -- and that 75 cents isnt going to cause any significant number of paying customers to stay away.

As someone who lives in Jersey-if I am going to midtown I drive to a park and ride then take a bus. The problem is going anywhere else generally sucks by transit especially working in theatre and often working late or seeing theatre. I think it’s absurd that all of Manhattan south of 60th gets the toll. I’d understand midtown but I feel like you should be able to get to the lower East side without having to pay the toll."

Exactly The traffic problems in and around Times Square, Herald Square, and Grand Central Station are completely different than traffic in residential neighborhoods further south. I live in Chelsea and have a car because there is no public transportation to where I work outside of NYC. Now I’ll have to pay a tax when I drive home.

NYT has a story today featuring this tool to gauge if it's working.



https://www.congestion-pricing-tracker.com/

MezzoDiva47 said: "
congestion pricing $$ seems to be aimed squarely at fixing the terrible MTA service but what about the equally terrible NJ Transit

"

Yeah I wonder who is in charge of fixing NEW JERSEY Transit