what to know
- The MTA board voted overwhelmingly to approve the congestion fee in December, saying charging drivers to enter a section of Manhattan would cost the aging transit system millions of dollars
- It was scheduled to begin June 30. Cars would be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, while trucks would be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.
- The MTA on Wednesday abruptly postponed the June 30 launch, just weeks before the intended launch date, and said it had not set a new date.
The MTA has indefinitely “paused” New York City’s nation’s first congestion pricing plan at the direction of Gov. Kathy Hochul, she announced in a taped statement Wednesday.
The toll program, which has been in the works for years, was scheduled to begin later this month. No new start date has been set yet.
Hochul expressed concerns about the timing and state of the city’s recovery following the pandemic. She fears the plan could have “unintended consequences” on hard-working New Yorkers if implemented at this time, but her focus is on achieving the goals of congestion pricing, which include funding much-needed transit modernization as well as environmental sustainability.
The MTA is expected to circulate a list of projects that could be affected without any known funding, an official with knowledge of the plans said. Congestion pricing is expected to bring a $15 billion windfall for the cash-strapped agency.
However, Hochul said implementing tolls now would hurt the public too much. And Midtown Manhattan hasn’t reached the point where it would be time for congestion pricing.
If the tax were implemented now, he said, financially strapped commuters might opt to work from home, emptying out Manhattan offices, which now have 20% vacancy, rather than have to pay a $15 car toll.
“Circumstances have changed, and we need to respond based on facts on the ground, not rhetoric from five years ago,” Hochul said.
The MTA acknowledged Hochul and her statement.
When asked about the news that New York City is suspending congestion charging, Mayor Eric Adams said he agrees with Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision because “we have to get it right.”
When asked about the decision Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams said he was in favor of considering other options if there was a way to raise the needed capital without impacting people’s lives.
“We have to do it the right way. We have to make sure it’s not an unnecessary burden on everyday New Yorkers and we have to make sure it’s not going to derail our recovery,” Adams said. “If she’s analyzing other ways we can do it, I’m all for that.”
We have to do this the right way. We have to make sure it doesn’t become an unnecessary burden on everyday New Yorkers, and we have to make sure it doesn’t derail our recovery.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams
According to Politico, the idea is politically motivated. The website reports that Democratic leaders have approached Hochul and are concerned about the impact congestion pricing would have on US House elections.
Transportation advocacy group Transportation Alternatives was quick to point this out.
“The next time your train is late, your bus is stuck in traffic, your subway station still doesn’t have an elevator, you know who to blame: Governor Kathy Hochul,” Transportation Alternatives said in a statement. “Transit ridership comprises the majority of New Yorkers — and certainly the majority of New Yorkers of color, low-income New Yorkers, New Yorkers with disabilities, New Yorkers with children — and today Kathy Hochul sided with powerful special interests — just days before this program takes effect.”
The first in a series of webinars to educate people on all things related to congestion pricing was scheduled for Wednesday but has been postponed indefinitely.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who had strongly opposed the plan, thanked Hochul for stopping it.
“Although we have had differing views with our colleagues in New York on the implementation of congestion pricing, we have always had a shared vision to grow our regional economy, invest in infrastructure, protect our environment, and create good-paying jobs on both sides of the Hudson River,” Murphy said in a statement. “We fully embrace the notion that Manhattan’s success is tied to the prosperity of the entire tri-state region.”
“Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams have been strong, collaborative governing partners, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with them for the benefit of all of our residents,” the Democrat said.
News 4’s Andrew Siff reports.
How will congestion pricing work?
The congestion fee will affect any driver entering the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering Midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board.
Toll will be charged to all drivers driving cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts – here are the details of the prices:
- Passenger vehicles: $15
- Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
- Large trucks: $36
- Motorcycle: $7.50
The $15 toll is the midpoint of previously reported possibilities, which ranged from $9 to $23.
Full, daytime rates will apply from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. each weekday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The board has called for toll rates to be reduced by about 75% during off-hours (9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends) — to about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.
Drivers will only be charged for entering the zone, not for leaving it or remaining in it. This means residents who enter the CBD and walk around their block looking for parking will not be charged.
Only one toll will be levied per day – so anyone entering the zone, leaving and returning will be charged toll only once for that day.
The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. This would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large section of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would bring in $15 billion in cash, which could be used to modernize subways and buses.
MTA fare hikes for public transit are likely to come sooner than expected. Tracy Strahan reports.
Can I get a discount?
Many groups were hoping to get an exemption, but very few would avoid paying the toll in full. This small group is limited to special government vehicles (such as snowplows) and emergency vehicles.
Low-income drivers who make less than $50,000 a year can apply to pay half price on daytime tolls, but only after First 10 trips in a month.
While it’s not a discount, there are so-called “crossing credits” for drivers who use any of the four tunnels to get into Manhattan. That means those who already pay in the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel don’t have to pay the full congestion fee. The credit amounts to $5 per ride for passenger vehicles, $2.50 for motorcycles, $12 for small trucks and $20 for large trucks.
Drivers from Long Island and Queens who use the Queens-Midtown Tunnel will receive the same discounts as those who use the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. However, those who come from the George Washington Bridge and travel south of 60th Street will receive no such discounts.
Public sector workers (teachers, police, firefighters, transport workers, etc.), people living in the so-called CBD, utility companies, people taking medical appointments in the area, and people driving electric vehicles were all hoping to get an exemption. But they didn’t get one.
New Jersey has sued the Federal Highway Administration over upcoming congestion pricing in NYC. Patricia Battle reports.
