MTA Approves NYC’s First-In-Nation Congestion Tolls

The New York Times reports:

New tolls to drive into the busiest parts of Manhattan — including $15 for most passenger cars — were officially approved on Wednesday by an 11-1 vote of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Nearly all the toll readers have been installed, and will automatically charge drivers for entering the designated congestion zone at 60th Street or below. There is no toll for leaving the zone or driving around in it. Through traffic on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and the West Side Highway will not be tolled.

Under the final tolling structure, most passenger vehicles will be charged $15 a day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The toll will be $24 for small trucks and charter buses, and will rise to $36 for large trucks and tour buses. It will be $7.50 for motorcycles.

Read the full article.

The program is due to start in June but must first overcome five lawsuits from residents and elected officials in New York and New Jersey. Similar systems in London, Singapore, and Stockholm have been credited with easing gridlock, reducing pollution, and funding infrastructure.

M.T.A. Board Votes to Approve New $15 Toll to Drive Into Manhattan, by @winnhu & @La__Ley: https://t.co/xG7mEf4BEy

— Emma G. Fitzsimmons (@emmagf) March 27, 2024