Congestion pricing finally launches in Manhattan
After years of delays, the first congestion toll in the United States switched on, charging most drivers $9 to enter the Manhattan core.
New York switched on its congestion pricing program in the first days of January, becoming the first city in the United States to charge drivers a toll for entering its busiest district, after more than five years of planning, legal battles and political reversals.
Under the program, most passenger vehicles pay $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours, with the money legally dedicated to modernising the subway, buses and commuter rail. Cameras and tolling gantries installed around the zone read licence plates and charge drivers automatically.
In the early days, officials reported a noticeable drop in traffic entering the zone, with fewer vehicles crossing into the tolled area and faster travel times on some crossings and streets. Transit advocates hailed the launch as a landmark moment for urban transportation policy in America.
The program had survived a remarkable gauntlet, including the governor's surprise pause the previous summer and its revival at a lower rate, as well as persistent legal challenges from opponents, including officials in New Jersey.
Supporters argued the toll would ease gridlock, clean the air and provide desperately needed funds for transit, pointing to similar schemes abroad. Critics continued to decry the cost to drivers and commuters. With the cameras now live, New York had launched a closely watched experiment, and cities across the country would be studying the results.