New York City Approves $15 Congestion Toll for Manhattan – Mix247edm
New York City Transit officials have given the green light to a $15 congestion toll for most motorists entering Manhattan’s central business district. The toll is set to take effect in June, with some minor modifications made to the original plan that was presented to the public.
Under the new plan, commuter passenger vehicles driving into Manhattan south of 60th Street during daytime hours will be subject to the toll. The amount of the toll will vary based on the time of day and the size of the vehicle, with larger vehicles facing higher tolls.
The main goal of the toll is to generate $1 billion per year in revenue to support the city’s public subway and bus systems, which serve around 4 million daily riders. There are some exceptions to the toll, including emergency vehicles, specialized city vehicles, buses with regular public routes, vehicles transporting disabled individuals, and certain low-income commuters.
Taxis will charge passengers $1.25 per trip that enters the congestion zone, while app-based rides will charge $2.50. However, the plan has faced pushback from small business owners as well as the state of New Jersey, both of which have filed lawsuits against the congestion toll.
If the plan withstands legal challenges, New York City will become the first U.S. city to implement a congestion pricing scheme, following in the footsteps of cities like London, Stockholm, Milan, and Singapore. Virginia officials previously implemented a toll system on Interstate 66 near Washington, D.C., in 2017 to combat congestion during rush hour.
“Zombie enthusiast. Subtly charming travel practitioner. Webaholic. Internet expert.”