NEW YORK: New York City has become the first city in the United States to implement a congestion pricing plan, which took effect on Sunday. The plan covers Lower and Midtown Manhattan, introducing tolls for vehicles entering the designated congestion relief zone. The toll amounts vary based on factors such as vehicle type, time of day, applicable crossing credits, and payment method, with certain exemptions and discounts available for specific drivers or vehicles, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
According to Namibia Press Agency, the congestion pricing plan charges passenger and small commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, and motorcycles once per day upon entering the zone. Meanwhile, passengers of taxis and for-hire vehicles incur charges for each trip that involves the congestion relief zone, whether the journey is to, from, within, or through it. Regulators plan to increase these tolls in 2028 and 2031 as part of a strategy to gradually phase out 40 percent of the initial discounts.
The initiative aims to reduce the number of vehicles entering the congestion relief zone by an estimated 10 percent and to cut vehicle miles traveled within the zone by 5 percent. Additionally, the MTA anticipates generating $1 billion in additional annual revenues to support its extensive capital spending plan, which could reach up to $15 billion.
Despite its objectives, the congestion plan has faced significant opposition, leading to multiple lawsuits filed in both New York and New Jersey. However, opponents have been unsuccessful in blocking the plan’s implementation, allowing New York City to move forward with this pioneering approach to managing urban traffic congestion.
