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Speaker 1: Welcome to NYC NOW, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Monday, April 21st. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill.
Michael Hill: The federal government's Sunday deadline for the MTA to shut down New York City's congestion pricing tolls has come and gone, but as WNYC's Ramsey Khalifeh reports, the agency has no plans to comply.
Ramsey Khalifeh: Congestion pricing has, by many metrics, been an early success, according to the MTA. Traffic is moving faster in Manhattan, bus services better, and the tolls, which charge drivers a base fee of $9 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, are raising money for subway repairs, but President Trump is trying to revoke federal approval for the program. MTA officials filed a federal lawsuit over the order and say they'll only shut down the program if a judge tells them to do so. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is threatening to withhold grants from the MTA if they keep charging the fees.
Michael Hill: Streets safer and more efficient, council members are turning their attention to one of the most persistent headaches: parking. WNYC's Catalina Gonella has more.
Catalina Gonella: The council's transportation committee is looking into everything from truck loading zones to permit abuse and street safety improvements. Lawmakers are especially focused on daylighting or clearing space near intersections to improve visibility and prevent crashes. Council members are considering several new bills to address parking issues, including one that would mandate daylighting near crosswalks citywide and another that would create overnight truck parking zones in industrial areas.
Michael Hill: A hearing takes place at 10:00 this morning at City Hall. A former NYPD officer fired for shooting his gun in an off-duty car chase is suing the department to try to get his job back. The NYPD terminated Kevin Marcial in February after he admitted to firing a single shot in the incident in Brooklyn in April of 2022. Marcial said his friend's jealous husband was chasing him, so he fired the shot to alert police at a nearby precinct. After reviewing evidence, though, an NYPD judge determined Marcial should not be a New York City police officer. In his lawsuit, Marcial claims he should have faced a maximum penalty of probation and the loss of 30 vacation days. The NYPD has declined to comment.
52 with some clouds out there now. Mostly cloudy today and a high of 59 tomorrow, partly sunny and a warm one up near 78.
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Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. This is NYC NOW from WNYC. Catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. More soon.
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