MTA Chief Defends Congestion Pricing Amid NYC Subway Crime Concerns

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber defended New York City’s new congestion pricing plan Monday, even as concerns over subway safety persist following a series of high-profile crimes. The $9 toll, which took effect recently, aims to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use, but critics argue it comes at a time when riders feel increasingly unsafe.

Lieber, speaking on Bloomberg’s ‘Bloomberg Surveillance,’ acknowledged that recent violent incidents have ‘gotten in people’s heads’ and made the subway system feel less secure. However, he emphasized that overall crime statistics show improvement, with a 12.5% decrease in subway crime compared to 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘The overall stats are positive,’ Lieber said. ‘But there’s no question that some of these high-profile incidents, terrible attacks, have made the whole system feel less safe.’ He also called for the justice system to address repeat offenders, stating, ‘People who have long rap sheets need to be put away.’

Despite Lieber’s assurances, subway safety remains a pressing issue. Recent incidents include a fatal stabbing and an alleged attempted murder involving a man with 87 prior arrests. These events have fueled public anxiety, prompting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to deploy 1,000 National Guard members to patrol the subway system and install additional security cameras.

Lieber also addressed fare evasion, a growing problem that contributes to subway disorder. He touted the MTA’s investment in new turnstiles, though critics argue that better policing and prosecutions are needed to address the root causes of crime. ‘The only answer is better policing and serious prosecutions, not burning cash on bogus technocratic fixes,’ one critic noted.

As the congestion pricing plan rolls out, Lieber faces mounting criticism for his handling of both the toll and subway safety. While he maintains that the MTA is making progress, many New Yorkers remain skeptical, calling for more concrete solutions to restore trust in the city’s public transit system.