Group to promote the revised Plan for tolls on the East River bridges

There could be no more talk, motivated in the service of public transit, "prices of congestion", a phrase Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg often used before its plan for sweeping overhaul the bridge from the city of New York toll system was defeated in 2008 and considered to be political arsenic since.

Then, with a clean slate, supporters could get to the hard part: carve a proposal that could succeed where the Mayor has failed.

And so, more than five years after the plan of Mr. Bloomberg, died in Albany, a frame of mind of the City Transit began a successor, development of a pricing model that might be more acceptable to residents outside Manhattan, meeting quietly with former opponents and preparing to take his case earlier this year next to a public who took the regular releaseIf traffic choked, rides on the East River.

Political obstacles abound, including securing the support of the State legislature. But in what the supporters of the regime were presented as the most important change of attitude so far, Councilman Mark Weprin, a virulent critic of the earlier proposal, said in an interview last week that he was receptive to this reinvented version.

"I wish I had a chance to talk to them again," he said of his voters "and say that it is much more logical." (Mr. Weprin, a Queens Democrat, is running for the President of the municipal Council).

Promoters said the arrangement, designed by Samuel I. Schwartz, a former City traffic Commissioner, would increase tolls in congested high and wide, transit areas and reduce or eliminate them in the pockets of the poor in transit, suggesting that Manhattan would be called upon to contribute more than what they had under previous proposals.

The plan championed by Mr. Bloomberg would have "raised revenue to do a lot of good things," Mr. Schwartz said. "To be honest this fundamental premise. ''

Move NY, the group behind the campaign, announced the new plan as "just toll and transport reinvestment," adding that its details would not final until after a series of public forums next year. It is distinguished from the vision of Mr. Bloomberg, the group said, in part because its revenues would be used not only to finance the Metropolitan Transportation Authority capital program, but also to upgrade roads and bridges - a blink of eye to drivers who could oppose any oriented congestion pricing.

While the amounts of the fees could change, an example on the site Web of Mr. Schwartz included $5.33 E-ZPass tolls on the bridge Queensboro Ed Koch and the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges - who are now free. The rate of one-way to cross the Verrazano-Narrows bridge would decrease to $5.66, $ 10.66 and tolls on Kennedy, Throgs Neck and Bronx-Whitestone bridges would be $2.83.

Traffic should be relieved, Mr. Schwartz said, because the adjusted rates would discourage 'toll-shopping,' which can currently drive commercial vehicles and drivers private take winding but inexpensive routes through some of the neighborhoods most busy city.

Rates could also be adjusted according to economic fortune of the city, Mr. Schwartz said, potentially fall during lean periods.

Move NY has estimated that the plan would create 35,000 jobs.

Some legislators from the city and the State remain deeply skeptical to adjust the fee structure. Elected Mayor Blasio Bill, while he was on the Council, voted against the plan of Mr. Bloomberg in 2008. He said during a Democratic primary debate this year that it is opposed to toll the East River bridges.

He had been informed of the new proposal, but she refused to comment further, said a spokesman for Mr. de Blasio.

Then it is Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, which drew the ire of advocates of transport earlier this month after veto legislation intended to discourage Albany to redirect transit funds dedicated. His office did not respond to the requests for comments on the proposal.

Although the transport authority has recently announced that it would increase the rates and tolls of 2017 and less expected in 2015, citing an improvement in the financial situation, securing the sources of income in the long term remains a challenge.

Elliot G. Sander, President of the regional Association of Plan and a former director general of the authority of transport, said Mr. Schwartz plan presented the best option to fund the Agency for 2015-2019 capital program.

"If people oppose this," he said, "there's obligation for them to come with their alternative for the way we finance the subways of the region, the rail network and commuter bus."

Adam Lisberg, the chief spokesman for the transportation authority, said the Agency was "always happy to speak with anyone with ideas on how to finance the A.M.T capital plan", but added that costs of rehabilitation policy was up to the legislature and other political leaders.

Among former critics of ideas to the toll bridges of the East River, reactions are mixed. Richard L. Brodsky, a former advisor to democratic and senior fellow at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University, said Mr. Schwartz plan was "basically, a regressive tax" even if the equity issues between the boroughs "addressed to a certain extent," at least compared to the 2008 plan.

"It will change the behavior of the man flying the 97 Chevy," Mr. Brodsky has said, "but will do nothing to change the behavior of the man flying the 2013 Mercedes."

Rory Lancman of i., a former Queens adviser who recently won the elections to the Council, called the proposed change of toll "a windmill special that transit advocates will not stop wind. ''

"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's price congestion," he said.

But another former opponent, John Corlett, the Chairman of the legislative Committee for AAA New York, said that the Group has found more to admire in Mr. Schwartz's proposal. "This plan has final benefits for drivers: costs of reductions in the outer boroughs and improvement of roads that go beyond good condition," he said.

Mr. Schwartz suggested that these measures should release its plan to the shadow of Mr. Bloomberg.

"In no case is this price congestion," said. "This is more than a blueprint for New York which has some elements of this.