NEW YORK (PIX11) – MTA CEO Janno Lieber called New Jersey's lawsuit over congestion pricing "kind of amazing" on PIX11 Morning News.
"It's amazing that Phil Murphy is suing Joe Biden in an election year," Lieber said when asked about the impact of congestion pricing on New Jersey commuters.
The state of New Jersey filed a federal lawsuit last year to try and stop congestion pricing from being implemented. Officials demanded that the Department of Transportation do a more thorough environmental review of the plan.
NJ Transit riders will also be dealing with a 15% fare hike starting on July 1 as the agency tries to cover the deficit it's experiencing.
"New Jersey Transit has struggled, there's no question," Lieber said. "They struggled with service, and, for some reason, the state of New Jersey is not solving their funding problem."
Lieber said that Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed the MTA's budget deficit following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I hope that New Jersey will take similar steps to deal with their own population; they're important to the region," he said.
Lieber also addressed the legal challenges that are calling for a more thorough environmental review of congestion pricing, saying these types of lawsuits are "a pretty open and shut case."
He also said between 20,000 and 30,000 people are expected to take mass transit once congestion pricing is implemented.
Lieber also discussed discounted Metro-North and LIRR rail fares, the expansion of express buses, the downward trend in transit crime, and more.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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