Yet another fee is being levied on New Yorkers, though this time, it’s not a progressive-style tax but rather a flat fee levied on drivers who want to enter some of the busiest parts of Manhattan. Such is what transit authority for New York announced on Friday, April 26, saying that the new $15 congestion fee will go into effect on June 30.
Under the new plan, drivers who enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, so in the more popular areas of the island, will have to pay a $15 fee if they enter the area during daytime hours. While the toll will be increased in the case of larger vehicles than typical commuter cars, and will be lower for motorcycles and those who enter the zone during nighttime, the $15 fee will reportedly apply to most drivers.
As to the other vehicles and situations, during peak hours, large trucks will pay $36, small trucks will pay $24, and motorcycles $7.50. Further, there is a carve-out for ride-share vehicles and taxis, which will respectively pay $2.50 and $1.25. In non-peak hours, which would mean between 9 pm and 5 am on weekdays or 9 pm and 9 am on weekends, fees will decrease by 75%.
The program is, across those fee schedules for different vehicle types and hours, expected to raise about $1 billion a year. The revenue raised by it will be used to help pay for public transportation programs, which already serve about 4 million riders daily.
New York’s MTA, explaining the program, said, “Congestion Pricing will improve quality of life by reducing vehicular traffic, improving air quality, and making New York a safer and more livable place. For drivers, Congestion Pricing will reduce traffic and make it easier to get to, from, and around the Congestion Relief Zone. Congestion Pricing means fewer cars on the road, so those who still need to drive will have faster trips and spend less time in traffic.”
Continuing, it added, “For public transit riders, fewer vehicles on the road means faster bus and paratransit trips. Plus, the billions of dollars in funding generated by Congestion Pricing will bring critical improvements to subways, buses, and commuter railroads, ensuring riders have faster and more reliable commutes. Even more, this funding will support 23,000 jobs throughout New York State. For pedestrians or cyclists, streets with fewer vehicles are safer streets. Plus, fewer vehicles will make for a quieter, cleaner, and more livable city.”
Further, explaining the congestion problem in Manhattan that led to the program, it said, “Gridlock is bad for the economy, environment, and quality of life for people who live, work, and visit New York City – and it comes at a cost. Employees on the clock waste time sitting in traffic. Workers get to their shift late because the bus is delayed. Ambulances are stuck behind cars when every second matters. New Yorkers lose 117 hours on average sitting in traffic every year, costing them nearly $2,000 in lost productivity and wasted time. Plus, more traffic means more air pollution and associated health impacts.”
It also noted that the problem has only gotten worse in recent years, claiming, “Congestion has clogged New York City streets for decades. Over 700,000 vehicles enter the Manhattan Central Business District (CBD) daily. And drivers can feel the effects, too – since 2010, average travel speeds in the CBD have decreased 23%, from 9.1 mph to just 7.1 mph.”
However, it remains to be seen if the fee will limit traffic enough to substantially limit congestion and the attendant problems, or if people will simply pay the fee and NYC will collect more revenue while roads remain clogged.
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