ALBANY, N.Y. New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs ambitious and contentious plan to charge cars, trucks and buses to enter Manhattan below 86th Street was shot down by the state assembly during the closing hours of its 2007 general session late last month.

Bloombergs idea for vehicle fees, known as congestion pricing, was part of a broad plan being pushed by the mayor to improve air quality and ease traffic in the nations biggest city.

However, before any plan is adopted by the city, the state legislature must approve it, and the concept faced particularly strong opposition from General Assembly Democrats.

They raised concerns the plan would increase traffic in some neighborhoods and hurt poor and middle-income drivers in other boroughs.

Even stop-gap legislation that would have created a commission to study how revenue from the program would be used, the impact of traffic on communities outside central Manhattan, and ways the rules would be enforced couldnt win approval.

City officials say theyre hopeful the plan can still be salvaged during a special session of the legislature, though it seems unlikely one could come together in time to meet a deadline of later this month for federal aid.

In the days leading up to the close of the legislative session, Bloomberg announced a change in his congestion proposal, saying trucks (and presumably buses) that meet 2007 federal engine emission standards, or have been retrofitted with emission-reducing technology, would be charged $7 to enter Manhattan during peak times, rather than $21.

Bloombergs plan proposes charging a flat fee to trucks and probably buses -- weighing more than 7,000 pounds entering lower Manhattan between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Cars would be charged $8, but taxis, limousines, transit buses and emergency vehicles would be exempt.