“The board of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted 11-1 to implement a $15 congestion toll, targeting a shift towards public transportation and easing traffic congestion in midtown and lower Manhattan to mitigate pollution.”Traveling in New York is already costly, but it just got worse: transit authorities have approved a controversial $15 toll, set to take effect in mid-June, for motorists entering the busiest part of Manhattan.
The board of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday voted 11-1 to impose the toll, which is aimed at encouraging the use of public transport and alleviating traffic in midtown and lower Manhattan, thereby reducing pollution.
The fee will be a first in an American city, and is similar to existing schemes in London, Stockholm and Singapore. It must first gain federal approval, and systems for collecting the tolls must be put in place.
“Passenger and small commercial vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street from Queens, Brooklyn, and neighboring New Jersey will be charged $15 during the day and $3.75 at night, in addition to any existing bridge or tunnel tolls.”
