Murphy reiterates congestion pricing understanding with Cuomo.

Byline: Daniel J. Munoz

Gov. Phil Murphy insisted on Thursday that he and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have a "conceptual understanding" on how the new tolling plan, known as congestion pricing, will handle New Jersey commuters driving into Manhattan's central business district.

The assertion comes as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and others within the New York state government deny any kind of deal between the two governors.

"My comments were based explicitly in principal to principal discussions with Gov. Cuomo. As I said, there's a conceptual understanding, as I put it," Murphy said at an unrelated press conference in Trenton Thursday afternoon.

Murphy, when pressed, added that: "Conceptual understanding are the words that I've used and I'll continue to use."

"With all due respect to Gov. Murphy, we have no idea what he is talking about," Patrick Foye, head of the MTA, said in a statement Wednesday night. "No agreement has been reached with New Jersey or anyone else on credits, exemptions or carveouts."

The agreement of which Murphy spoke, first celebrated in Hackensack Wednesday afternoon, would let drivers using the George Washington Bridge and the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels get a credit towards the congestion fee for the tolls they already paid crossing the Hudson River.

New Jersey lawmakers are especially worried the pricing scheme would "double tax" commuters on the George Washington Bridge, meaning they would pay both the congestion pricing surcharge and the bridge toll.

With all due respect to Gov. Murphy, we have no idea what he is talking about.

- Patrick Foye, chairman and CEO, MTA

The surcharge is levied against commuters entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during rush hour traffic. The central question has been whether the surtax would apply to drivers coming across the bridge which, while...