After metropolises such as London and Stockholm, New York is now set to become the first city in the U.S. to introduce a congestion charge.
“Today, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board voted to approve the toll rates for the nation’s first congestion pricing programme.”
The MTA, which operates transportation in the New York metro area, announced on social media platform X on Wednesday.
From mid-June, most cars would have to pay a fee of $15 during the day and $3.75 at night if they drove into a zone that, with a few exceptions, covered the entire southern part of Manhattan up to 60th Street.
Taxi drivers will see a $1.25 surcharge per ride, while Uber and Lyft drivers will pay $2.50
Motorcycles will pay $7.50 during the day and $1.75 at night while trucks will pay between $24-36 during the day and $6-9 at night.
Several groups of drivers, most of them government workers, are expected to be exempted from paying the charges.
The MTA board had previously approved the plan, which had been in development for many years.
The MTA called it a “historic day.”
“This program will reduce traffic in Manhattan’s central business district, reduce pollution, and provide critical funding for transit improvements,” the post reads.
However, the programme is currently still the subject of numerous lawsuits from politicians and residents.
Critics said the charges would be a burden on workers and would increase the prices of staple goods that are driven to the city by truck.
However, the programme has many supporters who said it will push more people to use public transport, reduce congestion to speed up public buses and emergency vehicles, reduce pollution, and raise the money needed to improve the subway system.
