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New York City became the first U.S. to introduce congestion pricing zones on Sunday, after a controversial plan to ease traffic and raise billions of dollars in local transportation funding was hit by years of delays and legal challenges. became the city of
Motorists entering Manhattan’s busiest neighborhoods during peak hours will be subject to a $9 congestion charge. The New York City Department of Transportation announced early Sunday that the congestion relief zone, which stretches from the base of Central Park to the southern tip of Manhattan, is “fully operational.”
The system was suspended by New York Governor Cathy Hochul last June and has since been reinstated at a lower rate than the original $15 fee, which reduces the number of vehicles entering the zone per day to about 10. It is expected to be reduced by a percentage. It will also help the MTA raise $15 billion for public transit projects.
At an event marking the start of the new plan hours earlier, MTA Chair Jano Lieber said: Because of traffic issues. Now we are showing the world in New York that we are doing something about our challenges. ”
Hochul originally proposed the plan out of concern that higher fines for motorists could hurt some Democratic candidates in the November race as New Yorkers grapple with the rising cost of living. There was a pause.
New Jersey’s last attempt to block the project in federal court failed, seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages to compensate for environmental damage caused by increased traffic across the Hudson River. But the judge said the Federal Highway Administration would need to comment on the plan.
However, the plan still faces an uncertain future. Republicans are calling on President-elect Donald Trump to revoke federal approval of the plan, while some Republican lawmakers are pushing for new legislation to block congestion pricing.
Under New York state’s system, off-peak tolls for drivers traveling overnight between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends will be reduced to $2.25. Entering Manhattan during peak hours costs $14.40 for light trucks and $21.60 for large vehicles.
Last year, New York was named the world’s most congested city by traffic monitoring platform Inrix, with the average motorist spending an average of 101 hours a year stuck in traffic, costing the local economy $9.1 billion.
