MTA Boss Denies Congestion Pricing Pact With NJ

NEW YORK — The MTA hasn't made any promises to New Jersey about congestion pricing despite the Garden State's governor touting a "conceptual" deal, the transit agency's boss said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters Wednesday that he and Gov. Andrew Cuomo had reached a "conceptual understanding" on how drivers across the river would be tolled to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.

"This understanding means that New Jersey commuters will be treated equally at all Hudson River crossings — the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and the George Washington Bridge," where drivers must already pay tolls, Murphy said. "New Jersey will also have a seat at the table as the plan moves forward."

The Garden State would also implement a cashless tolling system at crossings controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to allow its drivers to get credits, Murphy said.

But MTA Chairman Patrick Foye said he was unaware of any such agreement, adding that his agency would hold final sway over the tolling scheme.

"With all due respect to Governor Murphy, we have no idea what he is talking about," Foye said in a statement late Wednesday.

"No agreement has been reached with New Jersey or anyone else on credits, exemptions or carveouts because the MTA will determine the Central Business District tolls and other terms once the Traffic Mobility Review Board has made its recommendations and traffic and congestion analyses are completed."

The Cuomo administration also reportedly indicated that nothing was set in stone. "No conclusions will be reached by the MTA until all studies are completed," a spokesman for the governor told the New York Post.

New Jersey officials have reportedly sounded the alarm about congestion pricing, a key plank of New York's most recent state budget that's expected to raise much-needed money for the MTA.

While the charge to enter Manhattan would not take effect until at least the end of 2020, Murphy has said he would oppose double-tolling for the 150,000 people who cross the George Washington Bridge every day, according to The New York Times.

Murphy acknowledged that there is still a long way to go before the policy takes shape, but he expressed optimism about his purported deal with Cuomo.

"There is still much more work to do and I understand that the MTA in New York has a process that needs to play out, but we are starting at a much better place," Murphy said.