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It's official: after months of speculation, the MTA board just approved congestion pricing measures for cars that enter Manhattan below 60th Street.
As reported by Gothamist, the new tolls "impose a $15 fee on passenger vehicles that enter the zone [below 60th Street] from 5am to 9pm on weekdays and from 9am to 9pm on weekends."
Exact pricing shifts depending on the size of the vehicle and there, are indeed, a few exemptions to keep in mind.
Specialized government cars like snowplows and emergency vehicles won't have to pay, for example.
Folks who make less than $50,000 a year, on the other hand, can apply to a program that will allow them not to pay for their first 10 trips into the zone each month.
Drivers who stay on the West Side Highway or the FDR Drive can also avoid the toll while people who use the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown and Brooklyn-Battery tunnels to get into Manhattan will get a $5 credit on the congestion price—meaning you won't have to be responsible for the full price of the toll given your previous payment.
Live in the area? You are exempt from payments only if you make $60,000 or less per year.
Be aware that not using an E-ZPass will automatically run you a 50% higher fee than the one paid by people who use it.
Gothamist also reports that taxis in the area will incur a $1.25 surcharge while app-related trips (Uber, Lyft, etc.) will include an extra $2.50. "Both fees are expected to be passed along to riders," writes the outlet.
Although the plan has officially been approved, it will take a bit of time for it to be implemented. First off, there will be a 60-day response period in effect, complete with public hearings where changes, including exemption-related ones, can be made. The final vote will happen in April and officials believe the endeavor will "go live" by June of 2024.
Congestion pricing has been a (very!) long time coming, with some politicians clamoring for it for over 50 years. Of course, drivers are not happy about the added fees that riding around a big portion of Manhattan will now involve, but some officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul are excited about the update.
"Congestion pricing means cleaner air, better transit and less gridlock on New York City's streets and today's vote by the MTA Board is a critical step forward. The proposal approved today heeds my call to lower the toll rate by nearly 35 percent from the maximum rate originally considered," she said, referring to the $23 surcharge that was originally proposed. "This initiative will make New York City a global leader in transportation policy."
Similar plans have already been put into effect in cities across the world—specifically: London, Stockholm and Singapore—with much success. New York is officially poised to join that club.