New York state is about to start charging drivers a new $9 toll when entering midtown Manhattan.
Gov. Cathy Hochul moved to reinstate the controversial congestion pricing plan, arguing it would help fund MTA upgrades and reduce congestion and pollution on city streets.
Hochul abruptly suspended the program just before it took effect in June with a base fee of $15, but reinstated it with a lower fee just before President-elect Donald Trump's administration had a chance to block the program.
Critics claim it is the first toll in the nation, first approved by state lawmakers and then-Gov. In 2019, Andrew Cuomo is just a money grabber for the MTA who imposes more fees on New York City drivers.
Here's what else you need to know:
When do congestion charges start?
Car tolls will be collected from midnight on January 5, Hochul said.
How much will the driver be charged?
Regular passenger vehicles using E-ZPass will be charged $9 per day if they enter a toll zone during daylight hours (defined as 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
This threshold is scheduled to increase to $12 in 2028.
Other types of vehicles such as motorcycles and trucks pay different fees as follows:
- Motorcycle: $4.50
- Light trucks and non-commuter buses: $14.40
- Large trucks and tourist buses: $21.60
- Taxi and black car drivers: $0.75 per ride
- Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare drivers: $1.50 per ride
Nightly rates from 9pm to 5am will be reduced by 75% to approximately $2.25.
Drivers without E-ZPass wills will receive a bill in the mail and will pay a hefty toll, the amount of which was not immediately disclosed.
What is the price zone?
The toll zone covers everything below 60th Street, effectively all of Manhattan south of Central Park.
Highways that pass through the central business district, such as FDR Drive, West Side Highway, and the Battery Park underpass, are exempt as long as drivers do not exit onto city streets within the zone.
How do I pay the toll?
The easiest way to pay is with an E-ZPass transponder. Cameras and plate readers already installed at entrances to the central business district detect the driver's entry and bill their E-ZPass account directly.
Vehicles without E-ZPass transponders will be billed directly to the address on file associated with the vehicle's license plate.
Drivers will pay higher fees if they enter the zone without an E-ZPass.
Are there any toll exemptions or workarounds?
The new rates include discounts for some low-income people who commute frequently. Hochul said people with an annual income of less than $50,000 can get a 50% discount on all trips beyond the first 10 within a calendar month.
There is also no need to pay for transit buses or commuter buses.
Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines, and city and state government vehicles, such as garbage trucks and school buses, are exempt.
What will the money be used for?
The MTA plans to use the expected toll revenue to fund a $15 billion capital program from 2020 to 2024.
Hochul and the MTA say the money will go towards capital improvements such as adding elevators to stations, extending the Second Avenue subway, improving signalling, and hundreds of new electric buses.
What can stop this from happening?
It's unclear. Several lawsuits filed before Hochul suspended the original rate plan in June are still pending in federal and state courts.
If President-elect Donald Trump wants to block the plan after he takes office in January, he will likely need to start another legal battle.
The Biden administration is currently participating in a congestion pricing program. A spokesperson for the Federal Highway Administration confirmed that it has approved Hochul's revised plan and is working to increase tolls by January 5th.
The incoming Trump administration's mindset will almost certainly change. The president-elect told the Post that he considers the toll “the most regressive tax known to women.”
Mr. Hochul previously said he believed the fee would survive a court challenge, even if the $9 base fee were lowered.
