
New York City is poised to make a groundbreaking move in urban transportation policy, becoming the first U.S. metropolis to introduce congestion tolling in its bustling central business district. Under a plan greenlighted by Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board members, the most traffic-saturated zone of Manhattan will see vehicles slapped with a $15 fee to decelerate the stream of incoming weekday traffic.
The Manhattan section south of 60th Street — stretching beneath the stately leafy expanse of Central Park — will be transformed into a nominal toll zone starting in June. The charge for entry varies based on the size of the vehicle and the time of entry; from late-night thrill-seekers on two wheels, who will pay less, to larger day-tripping vehicles such as tourist buses and freight haulers.
Advocates of the initiative contend that it’s a veritable panacea for urban woes; not only does it promise to catalyze a new enthusiasm for public transportation amongst city-dwellers, it will also clear roads for faster emergency service response and public bus circulation. On top of this, they argue it will alleviate lingering pollution concerns and snag a tidy sum for necessary subway system improvements. Critics, on the other hand, decry it as an unjust levy on commuters which essentially penalizes work, potentially hiking the prices of city-borne necessities.
Despite existing bridge and tunnel tolls, which already rake in roughly $15 from state and borough commuters per day, the new congestion fee is an additional yoke. Staggering daily parking costs looming between $25 to $50 in the to-be-affected zone will also be part of the financial burden, affecting areas in a mix of districts south of 60th Street.
The plan – not without its dissidents – has sparked lawsuits from small business operators and New Jersey state, each demanding a more comprehensive environmental survey before implementation. Legal documents from state officials embroil the tolling initiative in claims of exorbitant costs for Jersey commuters with no copious benefits to New Jersey public transit infrastructure, despite the bounty it promises for New York and Connecticut.
Following its 2019 approval by the state legislature, the tolling scheme is bound to feed the transportation system that serves around 4 million riders daily with public subway and bus services. The scheme must brace a $1 billion target annually, according to the initial mandate, covering public transit in the bustling heart of Gotham city. However, the pandemic and federal regulatory hurdles have put a spanner in the works.
Toll variances will span from a modest $1.75 for nocturnal motorcyclists to a hearty $36 for commercial trucks and sightseeing vehicles bustling through the city during daylight. Weekday nights will be cheaper, with tolls levied from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and extended to 9 a.m. during weekends.
While tech-savvy drivers equipped with E-ZPasses, which remotely collect toll data, will find their wallets lighter after their commute, those without this gear will feel a heavier hit. Licenses will be scanned by plate readers and drivers billed via mail. Taxi and app-based rides will also see the cost of the zone passed down to passengers.
Opening a window for public comment, the MTA board heard appeals from over 100 categories of drivers seeking relief from the incoming fees. The range of plea-bargainers flanked from diminutive clusters of diplomatic license plate holders to expansive crowds of Connecticut and New Jersey dwellers. But, given the law-mandated quota for toll returns, exemption pleas have largely been dismissed. The few exceptions made are for specialized city vehicle, public route city buses, emergency vehicles, and mobility assistance vehicles. Low-income commuters will also see some relief with discounts and tax credits.
Should the innovative step weather these legal tempests, New York City will etch its name in transportation history as the first U.S. city to integrate a congestion pricing model. This mirrors similar schemes playing out successfully in international cities like London, Stockholm, Milan, and Singapore. Back in 2017, we saw a similar move in Virginia, implementing a toll system during peak commuting hours on Interstate 66 near nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.