Richard Arnold: New York could charge up to NZ$26 for congestion

New York has launched a controversial scheme to charge drivers as they enter parts of the city. 

State governor Kathy Hochul says drivers entering parts of Manhattan would pay a daytime toll of $9, despite pushback from various groups in the city. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks. There'd be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts Now on iHeartRadio.
International Correspondence on Summer, Breakfast with Ends and Eye Insurance,
Peace of Mind for New Zealand Business.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good morning, Richard Arnold, Good morning Tim.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
So the weather but weird over there, when winter in
the East hot.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
And the very weird. Yeah, this could be in a
sorry week here weatherwise. What they call a pole of
vortex could bring the coldest temps to eastern states in
this country that we've seen in years. A blizzard warnings
have just been issued across Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Virginia and
Kentucky also have declared states of emergency right now, about
sixty million people are under heavy snow and is alerts

(00:51):
and people are stocking up on last minute supplies because
of all of this.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
We're just trying to start up on groceries because because
of snow's coming in.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah, Kentucky has opened up warming centers around the state.
There's concerned about power losses. Plows are standing by for
the roads. Other eastern states also could be hit later
this week. Wash Rhington, d C. Could be facing the
biggest snowstorm they have seen in several years. Philadelphia and
Maryland also could be in trouble. What is interesting, though,
even historic, is the divide between the eat and the Southwest. Here.

(01:21):
Parts of Colorado have seen very little snow this season.
Southern California has had zip none by this time of
the year. Southern California's mountains typically have snow caps. Not
this year. It is as dry as dust. That is
a result of climate change, the jetstream which carries cold
temps down from the north to skip the western zone,
and if that continues, it will set up drought and

(01:41):
bushfire conditions for the summer here. So everyone is talking
about it climate change. On the March, New York has
started its congestion charging could be what twenty six bucks
New Zealand or how much? Yeah, it's a lot, isn't it.
Other cities have done it, and now New York is
getting into the act talking about those congestion pricing tolls
that are in effect in cities like London and Stockholman,

(02:03):
the Land and elsewhere.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
The idea is.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
To discourage, obviously, cars from city center. New York considered
it a while back then there were protests and they
backed off. But now these traffic tolls are set to
take effect from today, say officials. We've been talking about
this in New York for close to fifty years.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Now it's time to get started with this historic change.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah, that is one view, and it's catching on as
you know. It's being talked about there. San Francisco and Washington,
DC also were considering it before the pandemic in New York.
They say this congestion pricing will discourage around eighty thousand
cars and collect billions in tolls. Government officials are calling
it congestion relief. Well, not everyone is feeling relief about all.
This's got to say.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
I feel like it's a lot.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Not only is it going to be nine dollars, been
three years it's going Yeah, nine dollars is sixteen bucks
and change New Zealand currency. And they also do plan
to increase it to the number you mentioned twenty six
dollars plus per trip. So calculators out if you have
to drive into the city for work, say five days
a week, that'll be around five hundred and twenty bucks. Right,
So thanks for your contribution.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
OUCH, and the Golden Globes getting underway.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's right in a few hours. It's the start of
the Hollywood award season. Here to Night with the Globes.
Goldon Globes have been under a bit of a cloud
for the past several seasons, a bit charges of corruption
and the pandemic and then a dud performances host by
a comedian Joe Coy last year. This time they will
be hosted by comedian Nicki Glazer, who was the first
woman to host the show solo. She says she will
steer clear of politics and says there will be no

(03:31):
brutal takedowns as we saw in the days when Ricky Gervais,
the British comedian would host the thing. The Globes divide
the movies into dramas and lighter fair films such as
Wicked this year, come with me to the Wizard on
the drama side at Conclave about a cardinal who on
revels scandals about papal candidates, is up for six awards

(03:52):
at the Globes. I spoke with its director Edward Berger
yesterday and he says of his movie, you know there's
a power.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
That bakers and wherever that is this washing d C
or in a big cooperation or a deadline or you know,
and find for their position.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
And hadn't seen that. Yeah, it's an excellent film with
some interesting twists that resonated a little bit with the
recent politics. Won't give away any of the turns for
those who have not yet seen the film. Also on
the list is The Brutalist, with Adrian Brody as a
fictional Hungarian architect who escapes the Holocaust for a new
life in the United States. Another one which is getting

(04:32):
a lot of buzz here right now.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
Oh good stuff, Thanks Richard, I've got it, Matt. I.
I only watched the Golden Globes for Ricky Gervais, so
I don't know. I've don't die for be tuning in anyway.
That's Richard Arnold in the United States. For more from
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