New York City Introduces Congestion Pricing to Reduce Traffic and Generate Revenue
As New York became the first U.S. city to toll drivers entering a "congestion relief zone" over the weekend, some Manhattan motorists elected to spin their wheels to avoid paying the 60th Street-and-south charge.
Motorists Find Creative Ways to Avoid Tolls
Steven Guerrero, 29, said he circled the Upper West Side for "about 10, 15 minutes" to avoid paying a peak-hours $9 toll before sliding into a parking spot on West 61st Street near West End Avenue.
MTA Officials Monitor Traffic and Congestion
MTA officials said a read on vehicle and traffic data showing the initial impacts of the new toll should begin taking shape this week, with hopes that it can curb congestion and change driver habits. The agency plans to maintain a public online dashboard to highlight what is being learned from congestion pricing.
Congestion Pricing: A Way to Generate Revenue for Transit Improvements
Congestion pricing, which arrived more than two decades after London launched a similar tolling plan, with Stockholm and Singapore then following suit, is also seen as a way to win converts to New York City’s aging transit system in need of billions of dollars in upkeep.
Impact on Motorists
Just one block outside of the Manhattan zone where motorists now are tolled once-daily as part of the city’s long-delayed attempts to cut congestion and generate billions for transit improvements, many of the parked vehicles on West 61st Street, including Guerrero’s, bore out-of-state license plates from New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Fines for Defaced or Fake Plates
MTA officials warned that more than 1,400 plate scanners installed at 110 detection points — at a cost of more than $500 million — are equipped with technology that can flag defaced or fake plates.
Conclusion
The years-in-the-making tolling plan materialized after multiple failed legal challenges from both sides of the Hudson River and grumbling from motorists who studies show comprise about 10% of those commuting into the core of Manhattan. The new congestion pricing system aims to reduce traffic and generate revenue for transit improvements, with the goal of making the city’s aging transit system more efficient and reliable.
FAQs
Q: What is congestion pricing?
A: Congestion pricing is a system in which drivers are charged a fee to enter a designated area of the city, in this case, Manhattan, during peak hours.
Q: How much does the toll cost?
A: The toll costs $9 for passenger and small commercial vehicles with a valid E-ZPass during peak hours, and $2.25 during off-peak hours.
Q: What happens if I try to avoid paying the toll?
A: If you try to avoid paying the toll by defacing or using a fake plate, you may be subject to fines and potential imprisonment.
Q: How will the revenue generated from congestion pricing be used?
A: The revenue generated from congestion pricing will be used to fund transit improvements, including modernizing ancient signals on multiple subway lines, adding elevators to train stations, and buying new train cars and hundreds of electric buses.
